Large Eyes Hoping
by KTstoriesandstuff
Summary: Ten year old Wiress Carpenter helplessly watches her favorite Primary School Science Fair judge get reaped. She desperately hopes and believes that he can win the Games. When he returns, Wiress doesn't need him to judge another science project, but to save someone dear to her. Large eyes will be waiting and hoping for him to succeed a second time.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: C'mon, now, did you guys really think I was Suzzane Collins? Nope. I don't own the HG! I do own an HP - my faithful laptop on which I write my fanfics :D

A/N: Yes, this is ANOTHER Team Nerds story, but from a slightly different angle! Hope you all enjoy! And if a certain author recognizes her name in the story, it's because I really enjoy your stuff! :D

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"Wiress! Wiress, c'mon sweetie! You can work on your project later!" A woman's voice called down the hallway to a door where a small singing voice drifted from under the doorway. Inside the room, small hands finished twisting a wire around a piece of metal before the door to the small bedroom burst open.

"HURRY UP!" A fourteen year old girl called poking her head into the room. She had her dark brown hair French-braided and tied with a pink ribbon that matched her short-sleeved dress that had a ruffly collar, empire waist, and soft pleats in the skirt that came to her knees. "Can't you give it a rest, _nerdling?_" Her ten year old sister slowly focused her large eyes on her sister.

"But - Wendy - I just need to connect one wire." Wiress said looking at her small device on the worn wooden surface of the table the girls shared as a desk.

"C'mon!" Wendy pulled the chair. Wiress squealed as she was yanked off the chair from under her armpits. "And you're NOT wearing THAT!" Wendy ordered looking at Wiress' school uniform. Sighing, Wendy rummaged around in their closet and found a dress she had worn the previous year. "Get into this!"

"Wendy!" Wiress protested as Wendy tugged a dark green sleeveless dress that came mid-calf on Wiress. She handed Wiress a black short-sleeved sweater and buttoned the top button. "I'm not going into the reaping area!"

"No, but for ONCE you're NOT going to look like a big nerd in front of everyone!" Wendy huffed. Wendy enjoyed buying nice dresses from the second-hand store with her money she made working after school at one of the many factories. She was quite likeable at school, however, she was often overshadowed by her younger sister. Her teachers would whisper, _'I wish I could teach Wendy's little sister Wiress, but she's headed to The Academy.'_ Wiress would scour the old electronics manuals and physics books in the second-hand store while her sister looked at clothes.

"Wendy, _you_ don't want to look like a nerd, not me." Wiress answered simply but truthfully.

"Let's just go, nerdling." Wendy muttered taking her younger sister's hand. Their parents were dressed in their nice clothing. They could afford several nice tops and a nice pair of pants or skirt as they were production managers in a factory. Middle management families didn't need to shop at the second-hand stores and had bigger apartments than Wendy and Wiress' family had, but they both knew to be grateful for what they had.

Wendy waved to the other teens from the middle school and Wiress looked at the factories dreaming of things to invent once she got old enough. "Nerdling - NERDLING!" Wendy hollered yanking on Wiress' hand as Wiress bent down to pick up a bent piece of metal. "You'll get us run over!" She hissed.

"Wendy Carpenter, don't call your sister that in public!" their father admonished. "Wiress, sweet-heart, we can stop at the surplus parts store if you need something for your project. We can't have any sharp objects of any kind in the Town Square today." Wiress nodded. She dropped the piece of metal but patted her pocket that had a small piece of steel wire. Wendy tugged on her charm bracelet her parents had given her at age twelve.

"Wendy, I'll see you soon." Wiress said.

"I'll see you soon, Wiress my sweet nerdling." Wendy said kissing her little sister on the cheek. She kissed her parents before going over to the fourteen year olds' section.

Wiress looked up as they showed a video recaping the history of the nation of Panem. She focused on the metal scaffolding holding the TV to the side of the Justice Building and tried to deconstruct how it was built. Soon it was time for the reaping to begin. "Now! District Three, aren't you _excited_ to view your tributes?" Eustacia the escort squealed. She was wearing bright red from head to toe. Wiress looked at the many sequins and gems on her dress and heels. "Milly Williams!" She called. A girl stepped out of the fifteen year olds section. Wiress let out her breath knowing her sister would be ok for one more year. "Beetee Tesla!" Eustacia called. Wiress gasped. _Oh no!_ She screamed in her head. Wiress closed her eyes and concentrated on the thought: _Someone please volunteer! He's too smart to die! _she had hoped the surging electrical impulses in her brain were felt by others around her. When she opened her eyes, eighteen year old Beetee Tesla was on the stage adjusting his glasses and looking out into the crowd. Wiress sighed dejectedly. The one mentor Curie Newton sized up her tributes as she chewed on her dentures.

Wiress dusted her small machine off one more time after setting it in front of her poster board for the 4th Avenue Primary School Science Fair. She explained her project to the teachers from the Engineering Academy as they passed by. They were amazed at how complex her little machine that acted like a four wheeling digging vehicle. "Very good, little lady." One of them said smiling. Wiress smiled back. "Tesla, come here!" He called. A skinny dark haired boy wearing glasses and an Engineering Academy V neck sweater over a white button up shirt and black pants came over. "Look what this little girl made!" Wiress explained her project again.

"Wow! What's your name?" The boy asked in awe looking at her project board and the machine she had built.

"Wiress Carpenter." Wiress said. The boy blushed realizing it was written on the top of her display board. "What's _your_ name?"

"Beetee Tesla." The boy replied. "Have you got your letter from the Academy?" He asked. The little girl's large eyes got even bigger.

"That's not until next year." Wiress said. "I'm ten." She gave him a curious look. "How would you know if I had one?"

"Oh - well - keep working hard like this and you'll be in. No problem." Beetee said smiling. "Isn't that what you want?"

"I want to invent." Wiress said excitedly. The boy's eyes lit up behind his glasses.

"Me too!" He gushed. He pulled a piece of engineering graph paper out of his pocket. "I'm working on this -" Wiress studied it and pointed out some things. She talked with the Engineering Academy student for ten minutes.

"Tesla, you still have fifteen other project to see, son!" His instructor chuckled.

"Oh -" Wiress said reddening. "Did I - did I talk to him for too long?"

"Don't worry about it, little lady. You gave him some great ideas for his work. I heard you."

Later Wiress shook Beetee's hand as she accepted her first-place award. Wendy teased her for two weeks about Beetee being her first crush causing Wiress to snap one evening. "WENDY! DON'T TEASE ME!" She squealed, her face the color of eggplant at the dining room table. "Or else - Or else I'm going to electrify your brush so you can never ever brush your hair down straight ever again - and - and - you'll be SO UGLY! _SO THERE_!"

"Nerdling." Wendy had said simply smirking. "When you grow up, you'll marry him. Just you wait." Wiress kicked Wendy under the table a second before their parents assigned Wendy to dish duty and Wiress to dusting duty in the living room to end their skirmish. Later that evening, Wiress climbed on top of Wendy's covers and made her pinkie-swear to never tease her again about the matter until the next science fair. "Anything for you, little nerdling." Wendy said affectionately before ruffling Wiress's hair. "Now go to sleep." Wiress snuggled under the covers. "Wiress!" She yelped before looking two feet over from her bed to Wiress'.

"You didn't say in _my_ bed." Wiress giggled, her large eyes gleaming mischeviously. Wendy groaned good-naturedly but let her sister sleep in her bed. The reaping was in a week, and she knew she had to treasure the next few days in case they were her last at home.

Wiress peeled away from her parents as the crowd forced enough enthusiasm to applaud for the new tributes. Her small feet pattered on the soot covered sidewalks as she stood in a small line of people waiting by the doors where the two tributes were being held to say their goodbyes to family and friends. She made a model of a gear with her wire as she waited for Beetee's family and teachers to say goodbye. "Two minutes." The peacekeeper said as he opened the door. Wiress hurried in. When she saw Beetee in a green shirt, dark grey slacks she screeched to a halt. She still thought he looked nice even though he was quite sad and nervous.

"Hi, Wiress." Beetee said quietly. He looked at the small girl who had tears trickling out of her large sad eyes.

"H - Hi." Wiress stammered feeling her face grow piping hot. "I - I - " She gulped.

"You want to tell me something?" Beetee asked gently grinning at the little girl.

"Beetee - you're too smart to die - please don't die - please come back and invent! Please!" She pleaded bouncing on her heels.

"I'll try, little lady." Beetee said smiling. "You'll be a pretty awesome inventor yourself."

"But - I - I want - I want you to be at the next science fair!" Wiress blurted out. Beetee smiled again.

"I do too." He said trying to keep the sadness out of his voice. "Hey, you never know what happens until you try. Remember?" Suddenly he felt small arms wrap around him. He suppressed a laugh as the small girl placed a quick tearstained kiss on his cheek.

"This is for you." Wiress said holding out the model of her wire. Beetee took it and smiled at her. "I - I love you, Beetee!" Wiress squeaked before running out of the room as fast as her small feet could take her.

"I _knew_ you'd talk to him, nerdling!" Wendy chuckled as Wiress latched onto her while choking on her sobs. She buried her face into the pink fabric of Wendy's dress. "Hey, baby sis. You said it yourself. He's smart. He can make it."

"You - you shouldn't have heard!" Wiress said scowling and putting her hands on her hips.

"I _didn't._ I just figured that's what you would say. You're not the only person that figures stuff out, dear nerdling. C'mon." Wendy took her sister's hand and led her back to where their parents were waiting. Wendy would have to wait till after Beetee came home to tease Wiress. For reasons she couldn't explain, she knew Beetee would win.


	2. Chapter 2

Wendy made Wiress stop working on her little contraption and take a nap when they got home from the Reaping. "But Wendy, I haven't taken a nap since the summer before I started school!" Wiress protested.

"Yeah, but you don't want to go to sleep just when the chariot ride gets to District Three." Wendy said winking. Wiress blushed. "Go to sleep." Wiress curled up on her bed and slept. Wendy took the time to use the bathroom the girls shared to try a new way to braid her hair. She had put her four braids up in an updo when she heard a scream from the bedroom. "WIRESS!" Wiress wrapped her arms around Wendy and buried her face in her shoulder sobbing. "Wiress, what happened? Did you have a nightmare?"

"It's a nap-mare, Wendy, remember? There's a difference!" Wiress corrected through her tears. Wendy sighed. Wiress had informed her of this difference when she was six years old. Wiress sniffled. "I - I dreamed - Beetee died - I was there - at the cornucopia - and Beetee grabbed a battery - but - he - he -" She began crying again.

"He's smart. He can do this." Wendy said soothingly. "If you finish your machine before the Games are over, you can show it to him." Wiress' face lit up. She hurried to their desk and began working. "You're on dinner help duty, nerdling!" Wendy called before shutting the bedroom door. Wendy finished primping and then joined her friends in walking around the shops. Her parents were at the dining room table getting caught up on paperwork for their separate management positions. They enjoyed dinner with some sweet rolls for dessert as a post-Reaping celebration.

After the girls helped their parents clean up, the Carpenters sat on their couch in front of their TV to begin the mandatory viewing of the Hunger Games. "And here are the tributes for District Three!" Caesar Flickerman called. Wiress looked at Beetee. He stood tall in a silver suit coated with real working gears. He waved his arms and the gears lit up. The crowd cheered. As the President started his speech, Beetee looked at the sleeve of his costume. Pushing his glasses up, he had a look of concentration on his face.

"He's figuring his costume out." Wiress said grinning at Wendy. "He looks nice."

"Wiress, even if he was nude, you'd say he looks nice." Wendy quipped.

"But he's not he's - WENDY!" Wiress shrieked. "EW! GROSS! WENDY, HE'S A BOY!"

"Don't put those sorts of thoughts in your sister's brain, young lady!" Mr. Carpenter playfully admonished. Wendy snorted down a laugh. Wiress grinned and waved back as they showed another view of Beetee waving in his costume. The Carpenters went to bed after watching the Opening Ceremonies.

"Pinkie-swear?" Wiress asked snuggling closer to Wendy under Wendy's turquoise blanket.

"Wiress, we pushed the beds together, move over." Wendy groaned half-heartedly. They did this every year during the Games. They often snuggled with each other to ward of reliving the deaths of the District Three tributes in their sleep usually after the first day of the Games.

"But - Wendy - pleeease?" Wiress asked, her large eyes leaking with tears. "Please please please?" Wendy sighed and held out her pinkie.

"I swear to use The Force to help Beetee win." Wendy said. In their History of Science class, they had learned about an ancient science-fiction saga called Star Wars where the characters used a power called The Force to accomplish feats of heroism. Wiress was convinced they could use it in District Three as they were the electricity and technology district of Panem.

"I swear too." Wiress said before they tugged on each other's pinkies. "Wendy?" Wiress asked snuggling nearly on top of her big sister.

"Hm?" Wendy asked stroking her sister's long dark hair.

"You're the best sister ever." Wiress whispered into Wendy's nightgown. "I love you a lot. Like a lot squared."

"Good night, nerdling." Wendy chuckled. "I love you too."

"Sleep well, Beetee." Wiress whispered. She pictured Beetee in his costume. By concentrating on picturing him building something out of metal and wire, she used 'The Force' to will him to do well in training the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

"How about this?" Wendy asked holding up a thin strip of metal about the size of a ruler. Wiress took it and bent it a bit.

"It's not malleable enough." Wiress said. "This one has more copper in it. See?" She bent it around more. "Now we need to look for a five volt battery." She said happily as they went over to the bins of batteries on another shelf. Wiress sang to herself as she looked through the batteries. Wendy sighed and rummaged through the bins. She had been keeping her little sister busy during the day by going to the supply surplus store, library, or taking walks. Thankfully Wiress spent enough time engrossed in making a little machine to almost forget the Hunger Games were coming up.

"Here." Wendy said dropping a small square in Wiress' hand. Wiress squealed with delight and they paid for the materials.

"See you soon, Wiress and Wendy!" The store owner called as the two girls left. Wendy went into a second-hand clothing store. Wiress bit her lip to keep from complaining because she knew Wendy had helped her buy her supplies at what Wendy called the 'nerd store.'

"Ooh!" Wendy said happily as she looked at a light green skirt with beading on the edges.

"But - Wendy, you can't wear that to school. Remember?" Wiress pointed out.

"I can wear it on the weekends. Or to the store." Wendy replied.

"Why?" Wiress asked.

"To look nice, nerdling." Wendy answered rolling her eyes. She picked out a cream colored fitted shirt and went into the fitting rooms to try them on. "Well?" She asked.

"Max will want to kiss you." Wiress said grinning. To her satisfaction, Wendy blushed. Max was a boy in Wendy's grade that Wendy had secretly liked for about a year. His younger brother Terrin was in Wiress' class.

"Shut up!" Wendy yelped as Wiress giggled. They walked out of the store and were stopped by a reporter from the Capitol. Wiress gaped at the woman in a gem studded bright purple pants-suit that clashed horribly with her orange dyed skin. Her hair or wig had little lights embedded in them that blinked.

"What kinds of batteries are in your wig?" Wiress asked the lady.

"Batteries? Oh, I plug this in, dearie!" The woman screeched in her Capitol accent.

"Yeah, because they're rechargable - they probably hold their charge long enough -" Wiress began reasoning aloud.

"Shush! For the love of Panem, nerdling! We're on TV!" Wendy hissed in Wiress' ear pinching her on her arm.

"Ooow!" Wiress yelped. "Wendy!" The woman laughed. "Well, we're here in District Three with two lovely ladies: Wendy, and what's your sister's name, my darling?"

"This is Wiress." Wendy said smiling. "She's ten, and I'm fourteen." Wendy was thankful that she wore her nice light blue dress and Wiress was looking presentable.

"Well, what do you girls think about your tributes this year?"

"Wiress has a crush on Beetee Tesla." Wendy announced laughing. Wiress squealed and covered her face. "Well, you do!"

"W - Wendy - that - that - you pinkie sweared that was a secret!" Wiress squeaked indignantly.

"Do you think the young man is desirable as well?" The woman asked Wendy.

"I dunno. He's a bit nerdy for my taste." Wendy answered truthfully. "Besides, I'm saving him for my sister when she gets older."

"Yeah, because you like Max -" Wendy clapped a hand over Wiress' mouth. The woman laughed.

"Well, I hate to say it, ladies, but most District Three tributes don't make it past the bloodbath." Wiress whimpered and bit her lip. "Wiress, dear, do you think Beetee will last five minutes or even an hour?"

"I - He'll make it." Wiress said tearfully. "He's smart."

"Even past the tributes from One and Two who have worked in the quarries instead of working in the factories?" The woman asked laughing sarcastically. Tears streamed down Wiress' face.

"_Don't_ talk to my sister like that." Wendy hissed. She pulled Wiress behind her protectively.

"Oh, what do you think, darling?" The woman asked grinning slyly at Wendy. Wendy laughed cruelly.

"What do _I_ think?" She asked. "I think you should take your ridiculous Capitol self and your camera crew and _leave us alone._" She gripped Wiress' hand and stomped down the street ignoring the woman calling after them. "Don't listen to her, Wiress. Beetee _will_ come home and show all those _stupid people_ -" Wiress was nearly choking on her tears as they rounded a corner. Suddenly Wendy saw a Peacekeeper rounding the block. She thought fast. "Wiress, C'mon. Let's just go home!"

"Wendy -" Wiress asked between her sobs.

"I don't care if Terrin is at the park! We have to go HOME!" Wendy yelled. Wiress nodded. "Stop blubbering! You're embarrassing me!" She yanked on Wiress' hand and they walked closer to the buildings. The Peacekeeper looked at them intensely but let them walk home. Once they got home, Wiress ran into the bedroom and curled up on the covers sobbing. "Wiress, Beetee will come home - I can't explain it, but I just know it."

"Why was she so mean?" Wiress whimpered.

"Because she's stupid like the whole lot of them." Wendy replied. There was a knock on the door. "Wiress, wash your face." She looked through the peephole of the front door and opened it.

"May I help you?" She asked the Peacekeeper.

"Wendy Carpenter." He said. Wendy gulped. She heard Wiress' footsteps pattering down the hallway. "You do understand that citizens from the Capitol must be shown the _utmost _respect." Wendy bit her lip.

"I was trying to protect my sister. She's - she's sensitive."

"I'll give you a warning, Miss Carpenter." Wendy nodded. "The next time, you won't just get a little chat. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir." Wendy said. The door closed. She curled up on her and her sister's bed. Wiress soon joined her.

"I love you, Wendy." Wiress whispered.

"I know." Wendy said grinning. "I love you too."

"I know." Wiress said smiling.

"We'll get through this. We always do. Together." Wendy said. She kissed Wiress' forehead. "Now go to sleep. You know they show the interviews late."

"You're tired too." Wiress giggled.

"Shut up." Wendy said around a yawn.


	4. Chapter 4

When the Carpenters came home from work, they fixed dinner for Wendy and Wiress. "Wiress, eat your potatoes. Not every kid in the district gets potatoes." Mr. Carpenter said. Wiress fidgeted in her chair and picked at her mashed potatoes, vegetables, and bacon. "I know you're nervous, honey, but you have to eat."

"Yeah. Beetee probably ate his potatoes." Wendy smirked. Wiress stuck out her tongue and blushed.

"Moooom?" Wiress whined. "Wendy keeps on teasing me!"

"Wendy." Mrs. Carpenter said tiredly. "You're not making this any easier for your sister."

"You think _I_ like watching our tributes die in the bloodbath, _mother?_" Wendy snapped. "At least this year I don't know anyone - Wiress - I don't know him personally, shut up!" She snapped at Wiress who opened her mouth to say something. "I hate the Hunger Games just as much as little Nerdling here does!"

"Don't - call - me - Nerdling - Wendy!" Wiress threw her fork and knife down and ran from the table crying.

"WIRESS CARPENTER!" Wendy yelled running down the hallway. "FINE! BE LIKE THAT!" She yelled into their bedroom. "AND QUIT WIPING YOUR SNOT ON MY BLANKET!"

"WENDY - SHUT UP - WHY ARE YOU MEAN TO ME? YOU HATE ME BECAUSE I'M SMART!" Wiress yelled back in between sobs. She shoved Wendy's blanket to the floor. "YOU TEASE ME TO MAKE ME CRY!"

"NO I DON'T!" Wendy yelled. "NOW JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME TALK!" Wendy took a deep breath to control herself. "I knew you had a crush on that Beetee kid when you came home from the Science fair. You know what, Nerdling? I also knew that his older brother was in the Games two years ago. So I knew they'd send him in sometime. He's eighteen." Wiress sniffled. "The Capitol had to. And you know what?"

"What?" Wiress asked still hiccuping through her tears.

"I wanted him to be just another tribute to you."

"B - but he's not -" Wiress began.

"Wiress, every time you cry about Beetee, do you even THINK about how I feel?" Wendy snapped. Wiress began crying again. "The stupid Capitol is hurting my little sister and I can't do a DAMN THING ABOUT IT! How do you think THAT makes me feel?"

"I can't - help - crying!" Wiress wailed. "I'm sorry -"

"I tried to make sure you wouldn't get attached to Beetee and I failed." Wendy said. "There. That's why I teased you. Happy?" She sat down by her sister and suddenly burst out crying. "I just want to protect my little nerdling, but I can't." Mr. Carpenter came into the room. He sat on the two beds and wrapped his two girls in a protective hug.

"My girls - oh my girls." He whispered. "Wiress? Wendy?" The girls looked up at their father. "I know we all have to watch the Games for the next few days, but will you promise your old man something?" He smiled at them. "Promise to help each other? This is Wiress' second time watching the Games."

"Promise." Wendy whispered. She held out her pinkie toward Wiress. "Pinkie swear."

"I promise too." Wiress said. The three of them cuddled for a while until it was time for the interviews. Mrs. Carpenter had popped some popcorn for all of them. Wiress smiled as Beetee came to the stage. He was in a suit and tie but they looked like they were made purely out of silver, gold, and copper wires.

"Well, Mr. Beetee Tesla." Caesar said. "You got an eight in training. That's unusual for your district."

"It is, but I see myself as unusually able to cope with what I've been given." Beetee said.

"Now, your brother was in the Games two years ago." Caesar said smiling. "Do you think watching him had something to do with your score?" Wiress raised her eyes and Wendy nodded.

"Probably. I want to win in his honor. And of course to bring honor to my district, my family, and the Engineering Academy." Beetee answered. He smiled before adjusting his glasses.

"Do you have anyone waiting for you at home, Mr. Tesla?" Caesar asked.

"Well - my family, classmates, and teachers of course." Beetee said. "And - a very small but intelligent young lady who promised me she would make something cool at the next science fair that I judge." Everyone laughed. "She's ten."

"Is she like a little sister to you?" Caesar asked.

"No. More like a little secret admirer." Beetee quipped. Wendy poked Wiress and winked at her. "She was very adamant that I was smart enough to make it back home." The crowd awwed before the buzzer went off.

Wendy and Wiress got ready for bed in silence. They knew tomorrow was the start of the Games and the day that many tributes of their district died. Wendy put her blanket in the hamper before climbing into bed and snuggling closer to Wiress. Wiress' eyes were closed, but she had her look of concentration on her face. "Using the Force?" Wiress smiled. Wendy kissed her on the cheek. "I think Beetee did really well in his interview."

"I know. I told him that." Wiress said grinning. "Through The Force." Wendy nodded. "Good night, Beetee." Wiress whispered before falling asleep. Wendy smiled. She went to sleep shortly after her sister did. They along with the rest of District Three would have to see how well Beetee would do in the Games the next day.


	5. Chapter 5

Wiress and Wendy stayed in bed huddling under their blankets having thumb-wars or tickling each other until their mother woke them for breakfast around 11 in the morning. They wordlessly ate a small breakfast of oatmeal before sitting down to watch the beginning of the Hunger Games. Wiress curled up against Wendy trembling. Mr. Carpenter covered the girls with a blanket from their room. "Use the Force." Wiress whispered. The Panem National Anthem played and then the cameras cut to a live view of the arena. The twenty-four tributes were in a circle around a cornucopia housing supplies and weapons. Claudius Templesmith counted down their minute.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the 47th Hunger Games begin!" He called before the gong sounded. Wiress gasped and yanked the blanket over her head. Wendy and her parents watched helplessly as the Career tributes from Districts One and Two began hacking away at the weaker tributes. Melly, Beetee's district partner was killed after the two tributes from District Six died.

"And Beetee from District Three has a pack - he's going for a package that looks like it has a bit of wire - OH! He'd better watch that hand if he wants to build something!" Wiress screamed as a burly boy from Two swung an axe at his left arm. Beetee grabbed the supplies and rolled on the ground to avoid Two. He jumped over a supply crate and began running away from the cornucopia. A girl from One threw a spear at him. Luckily he had been running in a zig-zag motion, so the girl missed him by mere inches. Wiress squeaked and hid under the blanket. She pressed herself against Wendy and her father as she cried for the intelligent young man who had caught her curiosity.

"Wiress?" Wendy pulled the blanket off of the shaking ball on the couch two hours later. "He made it. The bloodbath is over." She nodded. "C'mon. Let's take a walk." Wiress stared at the TV at Beetee who was setting up camp. He looked around before disappearing behind a bush. "Wiress, he's about to water a bush. You really don't want to see that." Wiress squealed and covered her eyes. Wendy laughed hysterically before leading her little sister outside for a walk around the block. As they lived three blocks from the town square, they walked over to see the people gathered to watch it there. The parents of the tributes were gathered there along with other relatives. Mrs. Carpenter joined the girls at the town square.

"What are they doing?" Wendy asked Mrs. Carpenter as she saw people placing things in a pile in the center of the square.

"It's Milly parents." Mrs. Carpenter said, her voice constricting with sorrow. "It's for their little girl." She whispered. "Her father worked on my floor for a few years." She explained. Wendy and Wiress solemnly went over to Milly's parents. "Mr. Williams?" She asked. Mrs. Carpenter was embraced by the fallen girl's father as he sobbed. Mrs. Carpenter pulled out a handkerchief and set it on the pile. Wendy took her barrettes and put them in a pile. Wiress placed a pad of paper she had in her pocket into the pile. Other people were placing tokens in a pile to express that taking the girl was taking something from everyone in the district. Mr. and Mrs. Williams set the pile on fire. They turned around to face the TV screen and began chanting Milly's name and raising their hands in the district symbol with their middle and ring fingers forming a V. Mrs. Carpenter ushered the girls back home as the Peacekeepers came toward the crowd. Their chants became softer and they returned to watching the Games in silence when they realized they had an audience.

Wiress buried her face in Wendy's nightgown trying to erase the images of this year's bloodbath from her mind. "Are you ok, Wiress?" Wendy asked before kissing her on the forehead.

"I don't like the first day." Wiress whimpered.

"I know, baby nerdling." Wendy said. "But you know what?"

"Beetee's alive." Wiress said. Her large eyes sparkled as she looked up with a small smile.

"Yup." Wendy said grinning. "Just keep using The Force. Good night." Wiress smiled before falling asleep. Beetee was alive and that's all that mattered.


	6. Chapter 6

The next five days were the same in the Carpenter household. Wendy and Wiress would goof off in their room having thumb wars, tickle fights, or building forts out of blankets, their desk and their beds. At ten in the morning, they would eat breakfast with their parents before they sat on the couch to watch yet more footage of the Hunger Games. Wiress settled on the couch with her notebook. _Day Five: Beetee is hiding again. He is really smart. He built another fort out of sticks and his blanket. _"Is _that_ why you're into building forts?" Wendy asked grinning and looking over Wiress's shoulder.

"WENDY! DON'T LOOK!" Wiress whined. "It's my notebook."

"Your crush-tracker notebook." Wendy said under her breath.

"Well, he better watch out." Their father said worriedly. Wiress focused her large eyes on the screen. Beetee began climbing a tree. As he hoisted himself onto a large branch, a squirrel ran from the top branches chattering.

"It's a squirrel!" Wiress gasped. _Beetee can eat a squirrel for lunch._ She scrawled just as Caesar began his commentary. "BEETEE!" Wiress screamed in horror as the squirrel dodged Beetee's knife sinking its teeth into his arm. He yelled and fell from the tree. Beetee attacked it with a knife. Wiress' large eyes widened in horror as more squirrels came down the tree. She whimpered and closed her eyes. "I can't watch - I can't - I can't!" She squeaked.

"Wiress, he's running away." Wendy said knowing her sister wouldn't look at the TV until Beetee was safe. "Wiress - Wiress - watch, nerdling!" Wiress poked one eye out from behind her hands. Beetee had untangled a coil of razor sharp wire. He had thick work gloves to protect his hands. As he pulled on the wire, the squirrels' bodies were tangled and cut as the wire dug into their flesh. His eyes widened behind his glasses as the squirrel mutts began attacking and eating each other. He left the wire on the ground and ran toward a river. Wiress' hands shook as she made another entry: _Beetee tangled evil squirrels up using a wire. He is safe. My Beetee is safe! _Wendy bit her lip to keep from laughing at Wiress' last entry. The scene changed to show the Careers hunting for tributes.

"What's this?" One of them asked as he poked around in a pile of leaves.

"Stick." A bulky Career from Two mumbled. His ally who was from Four squinted.

"Is that part of a net?" He asked pointing to a piece of rope also in the leaves.

"This?" Two asked before stepping on the rope. Suddenly a rope coiled around his ankle. He screamed. "GET ME DOWN!" He screamed as he hung upside down. Suddenly an arrow pierced his chest. "OOW! AAAH!"

"Why didn't his cannon go off?" Wiress asked. "He's hurt."

"He's not dead yet."

"YOU - YOU -!" Two yelled at Four once he got himself disentangled.

"I didn't set this!" Four yelped. Two pulled a knife out of his pocket and stabbed Four before collapsing to the ground groaning in pain.

"Well Quartz is about to be eliminated. He took out Four, but that Three really is responsible." Claudius Templesmith remarked. "He built that trap." Wiress gasped.

"My Beetee?" She squeaked in surprise.

"_Your_ Beetee." Wendy said winking. Wiress blushed realizing she had said that out loud.

"Wanna take a walk, Wendy?" Wiress asked as they watched Quartz continue to struggle on the ground.

"Go. Girls. Just go." Mrs. Carpenter said. "He's not from our district." Wiress looked at her notebook: _Beetee used a trap._ Wiress held Wendy's hand as they took a walk around the block. In spite of watching five days of the gruesome Games, she smiled. They would be over soon, and each day increased Beetee's probability of returning.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks to a suggestion by Estoma, I am doing a chapter in Beetee's point of view :)

* * *

Beetee ran to a cave after he heard the altercation between Two and Four. He sat on the ground shaking. _They're dead. Because of me. _Putting his head in his hands he took shaky breaths. _Two down. Seven more to go. What's happening to me?_ He stared at his hands expecting to see them dripping with blood. The only changes he noticed were that they were more grimy and gaunt than they were before the Games started. _I want to go home. I promised my parents I would try. I promised my instructors. I promised that little girl I would come home. I promised- that little girl Wiress._ Beetee sat up straighter. Suddenly he realized that the people at home would be interviewed about his life as he had made it into the final eight. Coming home would bring his parents and his district joy, but it would mean causing more pain. He turned his head to face the rock wall and cried bitterly. There were no other options.

He spent the day collecting firewood, roots, and berries so he could survive the evening. When he came out of the cave near sunset, a silver parachute floated down to him. He opened it to find a can of food and some wire. "Thanks, Curie. Thanks, District Three." He said smiling. The can contained chicken noodle soup. Beetee quickly cooked it and felt full for the first time in several days. He smiled. Curie his mentor wouldn't have sent him food if she didn't think he would need it for an extra burst of strength. He realized the extra provisions could help him win. They could help him come home.

The next day he woke suddenly even though the sun was barely coming up. "Where are you, Three?" Quartz's district partner called. Beetee hastily packed everything in his backpack and hid behind some rocks in the side of the cave. He had a small knife that he held in his right hand. "Come out and fight! I know you're in here!" Beetee looked down at his knife. _This is a terribly useless weapon against a career._ Suddenly he realized that he had wire. He pulled it out of his backpack and found a capacitor. Putting these components in his pocket, he felt slightly better. "Afraid to fight?" Two cackled. Beetee squared his shoulders and walked out of the cave.

"No. I was just getting ready." He said confidently making eye contact with the girl who stared back with eyes full of hatred.

"You're going to die like your little partner Milly!" She cackled. Beetee raised his eyebrows.

"Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Beetee asked simply. The girl unsheathed a sword at her side and swung at Beetee. He rolled on the ground and stabbed her with his knife. She yelled in pain but swung at Beetee again. As she brought the sword back like a baseball bat, he ran behind her. He grabbed her hand and wrapped the wire around it before attaching the capacitor. Suddenly a strong current shot through the wire burning the girl's skin. She screamed in pain and dropped her sword. Beetee grabbed it and threw it into the cave.

"YOU LITTLE -" She snarled. Ignoring the painful shocks from the wire, she began to wrestle with Beetee. Beetee was pinned to the ground, the girl's large strong hand pressing on his neck. "DIE, THREE! JUST DIE!"

"I'm sorry." He choked before gripping his knife and slicing the girl's neck. Her cannon went off only a second after her grip began to lessen. He sat up shakily. He turned the girl over so she wasn't laying face down on the ground. He placed a cloth in her pocket over the wound in her neck before closing her eyes with his fingers. He faced her and held his right hand palm forward, fingers extended with his middle and ring fingers in a V until the hovercraft picked her up.

He carried her sword and hurried toward the river near the cave. He washed the blood off his shirt and grimaced as it turned the water red. Even though he sent the girl off honorably, he was still ashamed that he took another life. He gripped the sword in his hands. _Could I do it? Could I just end it now? _He didn't want to kill anymore, but he didn't want to die at the hands of a bloodthirsty tribute. Suddenly he realized that the sword would be too cumbersome to use. He tossed it aside and picked up his knife. He waded into the river and knelt down so his shoulders and neck were above the water. He raised his hand in the District Three sign again before placing the knife to the side of his neck.

The glint of a silver parachute caught his attention. He got out of the river and pulled on his shirt and jacket that were drying on the river bank before untying the package. He gasped. Bread rolls were on a fold-able hardy plastic plate. They were placed on the plate in the shape of a W. Beetee stared at it confused then the message became painfully clear: _You know giving up __would break little Wiress' heart._ He looked up from the plate and smiled. "I'm going to come home for you, little Wiress." He said smiling. "I promise. Thanks for the bread."


	8. Chapter 8

"Aaaaw - he thanked you, Wiress!" Wendy said. Wiress stopped sniffling and smiled as Beetee packed away the square bite-sized rolls.

"He's not giving up!" Wiress said happily. She snuggled against Wendy.

"He knows you're watching, Wiress." Mr. Carpenter said smiling before ruffling his youngest daughter's hair. "I think you may have more of an impact on him than you think."

"Why?" Wiress asked.

"Because a nerdy kid like him needs an adorable nerdling." Wendy chuckled. Wiress blushed. They watched Beetee continue his trek toward the center of the arena. The Career pack was still hunting. Several cannons went of indicating that the Careers had found other tributes. The sun went down and Beetee set up camp under a tree. He ate a few rolls for dinner and lay dJust own.

"Good night, my Beetee." Wiress whispered as he fell asleep. The Carpenters heard a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Mr. Carpenter said. He looked through the peephole. "Hello. Welcome!" he said opening the door to reveal a Capitol reporter. Wendy was thankful that it wasn't the one she taunted before the Games. She ignored the poke in the side and a knowing look from Wiress. "My name is Henry Carpenter. What can I do for you?"

"We'd like to interview your daughter Wiress Carpenter tomorrow." Wiress gasped and turned around from the couch.

"Just me?" Wiress asked in awe.

"No, your twin sister." Wendy said sarcastically.

"You can interview Wendy too!" Wiress said excitedly. Her parents laughed.

"Well, Mr. Beetee Tesla seems rather motivated by you little miss." the reporter said laughing.

"He motivates me a lot." Wiress said before blushing.

"Oooh, Wiress, you get to tell all of Panem about your nerdy crush!" Wendy teased. "WIRESS! NO! NOT IN FRONT OF COMPANY! STOP!" Wiress giggled as she tickled Wendy under her arms. "WIRESS - CARPENTER - THIS IS EMBARRASSING!" Wendy gasped in between laughter.

"Ok, girls - Girls?" Mrs. Carpenter asked the giggling pile on the living room floor. Wiress disentangled herself from Wendy and came over to the reporter.

"What time do you want to be interviewed, dear?"

"Um - I don't know." Wiress answered honestly.

"Well, the Game watching time here starts at 10am, but we can get her up by nine so you can talk with her."

"Ok." The Capitol reporter agreed.

"And I'll make sure she looks nice for you guys and Beetee." Wendy said. To her satisfaction, Wiress blushed.

"Well, have a good evening! I must be off to schedule more interviews!" The woman said happily.

"Hold _still_, nerdling!" Wendy said the next morning as she braided Wiress' hair in two french braids. Wiress was wearing a light pink dress with a white lace collar and short slightly puffy sleeves. Wendy tied white ribbons into her hair. "There." The doorbell rang. Mrs. Carpenter answered. The Capitol woman was back with a cameraman. She and Wiress sat at the Carpenters' dining room table for the interview. Wendy sat on the couch with her parents after she promised she wouldn't make faces at Wiress or otherwise make her flustered.

"So, Wiress Carpenter, you are the young lady that caught Beetee's eye, aren't you?" Wiress blushed. Wendy bit down on her fingers to keep from cracking up.

"I - I guess." Wiress squeaked. "I met Beetee at a science fair. He was one of the judges." Talking about the science fair made Wiress less nervous. "We talked about inventing for like fifteen minutes!" She said excitedly.

"The last time she told this story it was ten." Mr. Carpenter whispered into his wife's ear. They grinned at each other.

"That's exciting, dear. Is that why you fancy him?"

"Does she know what it means to 'fancy a boy?'" Mrs. Carpenter asked worriedly. Wendy grinned and nodded causing her parents to roll their eyes.

"I - I want to grow up and invent in a shop that he starts." Wiress said. "And then we can just work on engineering projects all day! One of his teachers said he was the best in his class! And I want to go to the engineering academy just like he does!"

"So, how do you think he's done in the Games so far?"

"Good." Wiress said. "He knows how to build a lot of forts and stuff. But he doesn't like killing people. It makes hims sad. I see it in his face." she said sadly. Mrs. Carpenter bit her lip and exchanged worried glances with her husband. "I don't want - I don't want my Beetee to be sad." Wiress continued, a tear leaking out of a large eye. The reporter paused.

"Well, I'm sure with the support he's getting from your district, _your_ Beetee will do just fine."

"Thank you." Wiress said softly. "Just use The Force."

"The what, dear?" The reporter asked. Wendy put her head in her hands embarrassed.

"The Force." Wiress explained patiently. "Our brain has electricity in it! And when you focus on something reeeeeally hard, all that electricity affects the atoms around it and you can do feats of strength or cause something to happen! That's what happened in the ancient Star Wars legends."

"Oh - Very nice dear." The reporter said clearly not understanding what Wiress said.

"That's ok if you're confused. Beetee knows what I'm talking about."

"Well - you just keep using your force to help him, ok?" Wiress grinned. "It was a pleasure talking to you, Miss Carpenter."

Wendy got the pleasure of teasing Wiress that evening as her interview aired on TV. "You are _such_ a _NERDLING!_" Wendy yelped listening to Wiress' explanation of The Force.

"But - it's true!"

"I know." Wendy said. "I know our district is nerdy. You just rubbed that in on national TV."

"I wish Beetee could see it, but he had to watch when he gets home." Wiress said as the girls snuggled in bed.

"No, they just broadcast that whole thing in the sky." Wendy replied. Wiress' large eyes got wider. Wendy laughed. "I'm _kidding." _

_"WENDY!"_ They had a quick tickle fight before falling asleep. "The Games are almost over." Wiress said.

"I know." Wendy said. "Then he can come home."

"I hope he does. He's made it so far - I - I can't imagine him not coming home now." Wiress said with tears in her eyes.

"Nerdling, don't worry. He'll be fine." Wendy whispered before kissing her little sister. "He knows you're rooting for him."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This chapter will begin in Beetee's point of view and transition to the point of view of the viewers in District Three.

* * *

Beetee ate another one of Wiress' rolls for breakfast. Suddenly he heard Claudius Templesmith's voice boom through the arena. "Ladies and Gentlemen congratulations for making it in to the final four!" My eyes widened. "At the cornucopia, you have something you desperately need to win these Games." It had been two days of walking, hiding from the remaining tributes, and fending off various raccoon and fox mutts.

He drank some water as he formulated a plan. He began running to the cornucopia, but staying hidden in the bushes. The other tribute from Four and the two tributes from One were still alive. He was the only non-Career left. When he poked his head out from behind a bush, he had to recoil and force himself not to throw up. Blood covered the ground as the Careers grappled for their backpacks while fighting each other. "Nothing in here." The girl tribute from One said before throwing Beetee's backpack off the table. It landed near his bush. He darted out and grabbed it.

"Where is he?" Four asked.

"Doesn't matter." the male from One cackled before punching her again. Four began running toward Beetee's bush. He gasped and ran while staying near the perimeter of the cornucopia. The girl from Four spotted Beetee.

"I FOUND YOU, THREE!" She sneered. Even though she was bleeding from her leg and a gash on her face, she grinned in triumph. She raised her spear. Beetee rolled around the ground, but the spear landed inches from his foot. He grabbed his sword and brought it down, wincing as he felt it rip through flesh. The girl screamed as a third of her forearm was severed. She tried stabbing Beetee with her spear.

"Hold on - I can stop the pain." Beetee stammered.

"JUST DIE!" She screamed. "JUST DIE BEFORE I DO!" Beetee gulped. He picked up the sword just as the girl fell to the ground.

"I'm - I'm sorry -" He stammered before swinging the sword again. He looked away as her head rolled into the bushes. He hurried to another bush. After throwing up his last four rolls, he investigated his small backpack labeled with a 3. It was a wire and a very powerful battery. Beetee gulped. The tributes from One were startled out of their fight when Four's cannon went off.

"FIND HIM!" The boy yelled at his district partner. Beetee strung the wire around the roots of one bush and was unraveling it as he walked toward the cornucopia.

"I'm here." Beetee called. They ran toward him. _Please let this work._ He thought. The tributes fell as they tripped over his wire. Beetee wound the wire around them tangling them in the wire. He hurried back to the bush and connected the wire to the battery. He sat there trying to block out their screams of pain. _It's almost over._ He thought. _It's almost over, and I can finally go home._

"Wendy - Wendy -" Wiress sobbed watching the final day of the Games unfold on TV. Wendy had made her hide her eyes during the first part of Beetee's fight with the Careers.

"He's going to make it, Nerdling." Wendy whispered. "Don't worry."

"But - But he's hurting them -" Wiress wept. "He's scary now." She hiccupped as she cried harder. "Wendy - I - I don't like - the Games - I never have - I - I don't like them - Wendy -" She sobbed. Suddenly Mr. Carpenter picked Wiress up from the couch. In one motion, he pulled her to her feet and slapped her across the face.

"Wiress Carpenter, _do not_ say those things! Beetee is bringing pride to our district."

"I - but - I - " Wiress stammered.

"Just shut up, Wiress!" Wendy snapped trying to sound angry, but her eyes betrayed her fear. She knew that many of the newer TV sets had minute recording devices hidden in them to listen to the viewers as they were viewing the Games. "Wiress, sit down. It's almost over. Just. Sit. Down." She pulled her little sister back onto her lap and covered her mouth. The Carpenters stared fearfully at each other seconds before the tributes from One stopped writhing on the ground. Two cannons boomed before trumpets sounded.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's my pleasure to announce Beetee Tesla from District Three as the victor of the Forty Sixth Hunger Games!"

"He - He won." Wiress squeaked. "He - He can come home now." She whispered. She climbed down from Wendy's lap and knelt down by the TV. Beetee was shaking and kneeling down by the battery. "You made it, my Beetee." She whispered before kissing the tips of her fingers and touching them to the TV screen. "I still love you." She whispered as tears ran down her face.

The Carpenters' happiness for Beetee was short lived as they heard loud angry chanting from the town square. "Beetee's father is my boss. I'm going to check on them." Mr. Carpenter said.

"Henry -" Mrs. Carpenter began. "I'm coming with you. Girls, you stay here."

"Mommy?" Wendy asked, her eyes widening.

"We'll be right back." Mr. Carpenter said. They left the apartment. Wendy counted to ten before going into the kitchen.

"Wendy?" Wiress asked.

"Wiress, something's going on." She said. She wrapped four steak knives and a paring knife in a cloth napkin before tying the bundle to her leg. She had a long skirt that covered it all. "Let's go."

"But Mom said -"

"Wiress -" Wendy said through gritted teeth. Wiress gulped and held Wendy's hand as they walked toward the town square.

The two girls approached the crowd filling the town square. Everyone was chanting, but it was in anger versus celebration. Something was clearly wrong. Both Wiress and Wendy were trying to stay calm.

"MONSTER! THEY'VE TURNED OUR SON INTO A MONSTER!" Mrs. Tesla cried from near the screens. "THIS IS WRONG!"

"THEY'VE BETRAYED OUR DISTRICT - TURNING OUR TRADE ON US! TREACHERY!" Mr. Tesla called. Wiress and Wendy searched the edge of the crowd for their parents.

"TAKE BACK OUR TRADE! TAKE BACK OUR TRADE! TREACHERY ON THE CAPITOL!" The crowd began chanting.

"Where's Mom?" Wiress asked as they walked around the outside edge of the crowd for a second time.

"Dunno. I'm trying to look." Suddenly Wiress heard and sensed an unpleasant presence coming nearer to the square.

"Peacekeepers - run!" Wiress whimpered. "RUN! WENDY!" Wiress yanked on her sister's hand. They sprinted back to their apartment building. As Wendy closed the main doors, she heard the numerous steps of Peacekeepers quickly marching to the town square. They ran until they were inside their apartment.

"You heard them, nerdling, you got us out, you saved us, Wiress." Wendy whispered holding her crying sister as they sat on the couch.

"Mom - dad - where are they - where are they?" Wiress whimpered seconds before the front door banged open. "MOMMY! DADDY!" Wiress wailed jumping into her parents' arms. "We saw - we saw Peackeepers coming -"

"I know, honey - I know - we're safe. Everyone here is safe, ok?" He whispered. Suddenly they heard the sound of gunfire. Mr. Carpenter sent the girls to huddle down under the dining room table as it was furthest away from a window. He ducked down with his wife in the living room. An hour later someone knocked on the door. It was one of their neighbors and Mrs. Carpenter's co-worker.

"I didn't see anyone from Factory Five down." She said wearily. "The Teslas are dead. That boy has no family to come back to now."

"We'll send send the young man our thoughts. Thank you, Nancy." Mrs. Carpenter said. "Is it safe for the girls to get off the floor?"

"Yes." The Carpenters wrapped each other and their girls in a protective hug. After the sun went down, Wendy and Wiress curled up in their blankets to get some sleep. Wiress cried until there was nothing left. Her Beetee had won, but at a steep price.


	10. Chapter 10

"All citizens of District Three are hereby confined to their buildings for the time being. Employers are not allowed to issue backpay to workers for this time." Wiress and Wendy sat on their parents' bed listening to the Peacekeepers announcing the rules over loudspeakers as they drove through the streets. "All houses will be closely monitored for any suspicious activity. Regular production and activities will resume only when the Capitol determines the district is stable." They curled up against their parents' embrace.

"Daddy, did twenty people really die in the square?" Wiress asked thinking about the rumors that had spread through the apartment building in the hours following the attempted uprising started by the Teslas in the town square.

"I don't know, honey." Mr. Carpenter said quietly not wanting to talk about the uprising in case their house was being monitored. "But right now, we need to focus on helping our neighbors. Can you girls go down the hallway and see if everyone has enough food?" Wendy and Wiress nodded.

"Does this mean we can't go outside?" Wiress asked sadly.

"Yes, honey. And we can't go to work." Mrs. Carpenter explained. She smiled. "But you can work on your little machine now."

Wendy and Wiress went down the hallway giving cans of soup to their neighbors that were running low on food. They returned to their apartment and curled up in their blankets too numb to do much else.

The district-wide house arrest lasted a week and was lifted just before Beetee's final interview was broadcast. Wiress and Wendy joined the other kids in the apartment complex chasing each other around the block in a large game of tag before their parents called them inside to watch the broadcast.

Wendy bit her lip to keep from laughing whenever Wiress squeaked or jumped while watching the recaps. She would squeak or react in some way every time Beetee was in danger. They both cried as they watched Beetee nearly killed himself before receiving his rolls. Wiress and Wendy closed their eyes as they showed the entire fight sequence at the end of the Games. "So, Mr. Tesla, here you are." Caesar said smiling. "How does it feel to be victor?"

"Well - I'm alive and - I'm grateful, but I - I'm still numb." Beetee said choosing his words carefully.

"You certainly had your district rooting for you." Caesar said. "Unfortunately, a riot broke out in the town square." Beetee nodded. "Mr. Tesla, I'm very sorry to inform you that your parents were caught in the thick of it and - and they will not be able to welcome you home."

"I - " Tears leaked out of Beetee's eyes as the news sank in. "I still have - people - I can come home to."

"Yes, you do." Caesar said. "I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Tesla." Wiress caught a glimpse of Beetee's grief-stricken face before sobbing into Wendy's clothing. Wendy patted her on her back. Their parents had tears running down their cheeks at seeing the pain of the young victor. The two girls didn't hear much else of the interview. They clapped when Beetee was crowned victor and shook hands with President Snow.

"He's coming home now." Wendy said grinning. "He'll be home tomorrow." Wiress smiled.

"Get to the front, nerdling!" Wendy laughed prodding a very red-faced Wiress the next day at the train station.

"WENDY STOP!" Wiress shrieked covering her face with her hands. Wendy and Wiress were standing with a small group of people from the Engineering Academy to welcome Beetee home at the District Three train station. Wiress was hiding behind several tall academy instructors.

"Are you little Wiress Carpenter?" One of the instructors asked smiling. Wiress blushed. "I saw your project at the science fair last year with Beetee. Though you probably remember him more than me." Wiress blushed deepened even more. "He'll be so happy you're here." He smiled. "Come on - your sister can wait with you in front of us, ok?"

"Thank you." Wendy said smiling.

"W - Wendy - I - I - think - I'm blushing." Wiress squeaked. Wendy burst out laughing at dark maroon face of her little sister.

"Yes. You are." Wendy said. The train pulled into the station. Wiress covered her face before Wendy took her hands and held them to her side. "He can't see you smiling when you do that, nerdling." Wendy sang teasingly into her ear.

"W - Wendy -" Wiress stammered. She gulped as the door opened. The district escort Eustacia exited the train to polite applause. She helped Curie out of the door and they both reached in for Beetee's hands. He was wearing a simple navy blue suit, cream colored shirt, and black tie. The Victor's Crown was a simple gold band set on his head. It glinted in the sunlight. "Beetee - it's him!" Wendy laughed. Wiress squeaked as Beetee approached them.

"Hi, Wiress." Beetee said softly. Wiress looked into his dark eyes behind his glasses that still reflected sadness and pain.

"H - Hi - my - my - Beetee -" Wiress stammered. Beetee smiled as they shook hands.

"And this must be your sister." Beetee said.

"Wendy Carpenter." Wendy said shaking his hand. "Did you see this one's interview?" She asked patting Wiress' shoulder.

"Yes." Beetee said. "Thank you both for using The Force." Wiress squeaked and blushed even more. "Oh, Wiress," He said as he reached into his pocket. "I still have this." He said pulling out the small wire model of the gear Wiress had made for him. "Do you want it back?"

"It's yours now." Wiress said softly. Beetee smiled. "I - I'm glad - you're home - and - you can invent now." A true smile broke out on Beetee's face.

"That I can, little lady." He said smiling. "That I can." While he chatted with his instructors. Wendy and Wiress walked home. Wendy laughed to herself knowing she would tease Wiress about this moment possibly for the rest of their lives. She was glad he was home, and she hoped that life after the Games would go well for the young victor. No matter what, Wendy knew her little sister would be cheering him on all the way.


	11. Chapter 11

"Oooh! Hair ribbons!" Wiress gasped as she opened the small box she had picked up at the town square. Wendy had a bottle of lotion. It was their first Parcel Day.

"You'll look nice for your crush." Wendy joked. She was playfully punched by her little sister. "C'mon, let's go to the park." Wendy said eyeing the playground near the shops where one of Wiress' classmates and his older brother were playing.

"We have to put our stuff away! So it doesn't get dirty!" Wiress protested.

"We can stop at the park for a bit." Wendy said smiling. Wiress looked at the park near the town square.

"You just want to go to the park because Max is there!" Wiress teased. She hurried over to the playground. "MAX! WENDY WANTS TO SAY HI!" She called as a tall lanky fifteen year old waved at Wendy who scowled at Wiress.

"SHUT UP, NERDLING!" Wendy yelled. She walked to the bench near the playground and sat down carefully making sure her skirt didn't rumple on the surface. She crossed her feet at her ankles and held the package of hair ribbons and box with the lotion bottles carefully. Max came over and smiled at her. "Hello, Max. Did you enjoy your parcels?"

"Yeah." Max said plopping himself down on the bench near Wendy. He watched Wiress and Terrin climb on the playground equipment. "I got some cans of food." Wendy nodded. They alternated between chatting and watching their younger siblings play.

"Yeah! This is my workroom!" Wiress cheered from under one of the playground platforms.

"Is this mine?" Terrin asked standing under another platform near Wiress.

"Yeah. You're sharing with Beetee." Wiress said giggling.

"Why?" Terrin asked.

"We're his apprentices!" Wiress explained.

"Why don't _you_ share a workroom with Beetee?" Terrin asked, a teasing glint in his dark brown eyes.

"Because!" Wiress squealed blushing. "Ok - he gave us a project." She said putting her hands on her hips. "We're making a lubricant for the slide!" They climbed around the equipment and pretended to measure the slide and 'test' it a few times. Wiress dug around in her dress pocket for a pretend phone. "Ok - Beetee says to begin making the stuff!" She called. She and Terrin went back to their workrooms and began digging around in the dirt. Unbeknownst to them, Beetee was walking back to Victor's Village when he heard Wiress say his name. He hid behind a lamp post as Wiress turned her head toward where he was walking. Terrin sprinkled large rocks on the slide before testing them.

"OW OW OW! MY BALL BEARINGS REALLY HURT!" He yelped as he went down the slide. Wiress giggled really hard. She spread out fine sand on the slide.

"My anti-gravity powder might work better!" She squealed. "Beetee! I'm going down! Catch me!" She giggled before closing her eyes so she could imagine flying down the slide and into his arms. The moment was too good to pass up. Beetee tiptoed quickly over to the slide. Max and Wendy had stopped chatting and were looking at Wiress.

"Her eyes are closed." Wendy said.

"How do you know? We're seeing a side view." Max commented.

"Because she'd be freaking out if she knew who was at the bottom of the slide." Wendy whispered. She bit back her laughter even though she wanted to die laughing.

"I'm coming!" Wiress called. "WHOA! ANTI-GRAVITY POWDER!" She squealed.

"Or anti-friction powder!" Beetee said catching the small girl, picking her up and swinging her around. "Hi." Beetee said grinning as Wiress opened her large eyes seconds before her face went from slightly pink porcelain to purple. She screamed. Beetee sat her back down at the bottom of the slide a second before she took off running toward the bench.

"WENDY! WEEEENNDYYYY!" She screamed. Wendy and Max were howling with laughter. Terrin and Beetee were also laughing. "WENDY! _STOP LAUGHING RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"_ Wiress yelled stomping her foot. Wendy snorted down a laugh and looked at her sister who was blushing and looking half horrified, half very irate. "Why didn't you TELL me that HE was here?"

"You had your eyes closed." Wendy said. "I didn't know until he was at the bottom of the slide. Nerdling."

"Yeah, but he held you in his arms, squirt." Max said before he and Wendy dissolved in laughter.

"I thought it was cute." Beetee said coming over. "Your fellow apprentice is waiting for you, Wiress." He said. "I'll give you guys a real project." Wiress's eyes widened even more. "Show me the most efficient way to get to here -" he drew an X on the ground near one of the ladders to the equipment piece. "To here." He drew and X by the slide. He stood by the slide and let the two ten year olds figure it out.

"You climb up a little and then run - and then climb - and you have energy to run fast!" Wiress explained as she hurried through the playground structure. She slid down the slide.

"Yup. That's right!" Beetee said grinning at the girl he had dubbed his little engineer. Terrin was still catching his breath from his run on the equipment. Beetee picked Wiress up and twirled her around again as she giggled. "Well - I'd better go."

"Bye!" Wiress and Terrin called. Beetee smiled at them.

"Thanks for playing with my little sister." Wendy said. "She'll only talk about it for the next few months." She quipped as Max laughed. Beetee chuckled before walking toward his house. "C'mon, nerdling! Let's go home! We have chores to do before our parents get home!"


	12. Chapter 12

Wendy began her summer job a week after the Hunger Games ended. Wiress went over to Terrin's house as his mother was able to stay home and watch her son and his friend. She and Terrin were on the living room floor building with an erector set. "Wiress?" Terrin asked.

"Yeah?" Wiress asked screwing in a gear to her little machine she had built.

"Why do you always sing when you work?" He asked. Wiress blushed.

"I like to." Wiress replied simply. She began singing to herself soon after that conversation.

"Wiress?" Terrin asked. Wiress looked at her friend quizzically. "Um - why do you always sing about Beetee?" Wiress blushed.

"I - I don't know." Wiress squeaked. She blushed darker as Terrin laughed.

"Um - Wiress?" Terrin asked tentatively. "Would - would you marry Beetee if you were an adult already?"

"Um -" Wiress paused. "Maybe. Would you be an adult too?" She asked quickly.

"What?" Terrin asked.

"Well - if I was an adult and you were an adult and Beetee - well, he's grown now, but - that would be a problem." Wiress said looking into Terrin's light brown eyes.

"How would you choose?" Terrin asked. They were facing each other, the erector set forgotten.

"Wendy said whoever was a better kisser." Wiress explained giggling. Terrin blushed.

"Wiress - " Terrin paused looking into the large dark eyes of his friend. He leaned forward as she mirrored his position. His lips touched hers and she sighed.

"Terrin -" Wiress whispered. "I'm wearing glittery lip-gloss." She said pulling away giggling.

"I didn't taste it." Terrin said before wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "You're a good friend, Wiress. Like a really good great best friend." They leaned in for another kiss.

"WIRESS CARPENTER, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Wiress screamed and pushed Terrin away as Wendy opened the door to Terrin and Max's apartment.

"I - I - we -" Wiress squeaked blushing darkly. Wendy began laughing hysterically.

"Oooh, Wiress, Beetee will be _soooo jealous!_" Wendy shrieked.

"Oh - my - I'm so sorry, dear, I was cleaning the bathroom, what happened?" Mrs. Jones asked anxiously.

"Oh, those two were kissing." Wendy said offhandedly. Wiress squeaked and buried her face in her sweater.

"Terrin?" Mrs. Jones asked. She looked at her youngest son who blushed. "Terrin, go clean your and Max's room, please."

"But - Mom - Max left his underwear on the floor!" Terrin groaned.

"Well, put it in the hamper." Mrs. Jones said matter of factly. Wendy blushed envisioning Max Jones walking around the apartment only in his underwear.

"So, what was this about Wiress kissing Terrin?" Mr. Carpenter asked Wendy as the family was grocery shopping.

"Ask little Nerdling, but Beetee has competition now!" Wendy laughed.

"What about me?" Beetee asked as the Carpenters came down the baking and spices aisle. Wendy felt Wiress grab her around the waist and press her face into the small of her back.

"Peas are on sale, dear." Mrs. Carpenter said kindly looking in Beetee's cart. "They go well with the mac and cheese you have." Beetee suddenly felt self-conscious with his ten boxes of mac and cheese, two boxes of cereal, and milk in his cart.

"Mom, why are you cart-stalking him?" Wendy yelped. "Wiress, get off of me!" She peeled her sister's arms from around her waist.

"Well, I remember what it was like when your father and I moved into our apartments out of our parents' houses, and we had to cook for ourselves." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling.

"But, mom, maybe he really likes mac and cheese a lot." Wiress said trying not to meet Beetee's eye.

"Like as much as you like Terrin?" Wendy quipped. Wiress purpled but bit her tongue. "You just want to put your lips all over Terrin as you two eat mac and -"

"Wendy." Mr. Carpenter said with a hint of warning in his voice. "You're getting too old to tease your sister. In public."

"I - ah - I'm still getting a handle on how to cook." Beetee stammered.

"Well, why don't you come over to our house after you put your groceries away dear." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling. "Do you know where we live?"

"Yeah. My mom and dad -" He gulped. "They have your house number in their - I mean - my - address book." He blinked and became interested in looking at a package of brown sugar.

"Son, your parents promised me they would take care of my family if anything happened to my wife or I. I promised them I'd do the same thing. We're going to use up a nice pot of soup and we have plenty for you." Mr. Carpenter said putting a hand on Beetee's shoulder. "My youngest of course will be thrilled to have you over for dinner."

Wiress blushed and squeaked through the first dinner where Beetee Tesla sat between her and her sister. The week after that, Wiress explained to Beetee how she and Wendy helped make the salad. He had come early so Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter could give him a bit of a cooking lesson. Beetee's presence at the dinner table was a weekly then biweekly occurrence as the summer progressed. Wiress was more herself as Beetee's "famous victor" aura dissapeared replaced by the more accurate view of a nerdy eighteen year old trying to find his way in the world. When the light burnt out in Wendy and Wiress' room, Beetee lifted Wiress on his shoulders as she changed the light. They got into a discussion on voltage and electricity.

"What will you do now?" Wiress asked during the second week of August. "I mean, you're done with school." She and Wendy would start school the following week.

"I'll just keep inventing stuff." Beetee said. "I sold some stuff I made in my basement. But I think I want to see if I can use a shed to invent stuff." Wiress' eyes widened.

"That's so cool!" She squealed.

"Maybe you and Terrin can visit in my new shop. And if you have any cool ideas, tell me, ok squirt?" He asked ruffling her hair.

"Ok!" Wiress said eagerly. "This is my last year in primary school." She said grinning. "Then if I get my letter -"

"_When_ you get it, nerdling."

"Yeah! I'll go to the engineering academy!" Wiress said grinning. "I'll be twelve." Beetee nearly choked on his dinner roll. "Beetee? Are you ok?" She asked worriedly.

"Yeah." He said quickly. He checked his watch. "Um - I have to go. Project."

"Well, take the rest of this spaghetti home with you." Mrs. Carpenter said. "You did buy the vegetables in the sauce, dear." She placed his food in a plastic container. "Now are you _sure_ you don't need anything else before you go?" Beetee shook his head.

"Bye, Beetee!" Wiress called as the door swung closed.

Beetee gripped the plastic container with the spaghetti and walked down the hallway, cold fear and anger coursing through his body. _How can you be so stupid, Tesla!_ He screamed in his head. _Wiress could be reaped next year. Her or Wendy!_ He sighed. _It's your fault you got close to them._ He realized he could never get close to anyone in the district. Their children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews could be reaped. He would have to mentor them either to come back to District Three or to die in the arena. He sighed. _Maybe - just maybe - if I have to mentor one of the Carpenter girls, I could help them come home._


	13. Chapter 13

On a snowy day in November, the fifth-grade students had the Technology and Engineering Instruction Placement Exam. Wiress and Terrin read over their worn textbooks and notebooks once more before their teacher made the announcement that the fifth grade class could enter the testing room. They grasped hands and gave each other a squeeze for good luck. The thirty fifth-grade students walked in a single file line into a classrom with rows of long long tables and benches for the students' work surface. Wiress took a seat by Terrin. Two students filed in on each side. When all thirty students were seated, the teacher handed out light blue examination books after examining each student's calculator to ensure it was the one required for the test. "You may begin." She said smiling at her charges.

Wiress bit her lip to remind herself not to begin humming during the test. She smiled knowing Wendy would be proud of her for working silently. When Wiress was studying for the exam at home, Wendy smacked her on the back of her head with a ruler every time she started humming. Wendy's ingenius strategy had worked as Wiress was able to work silently after a week of the routine.

After checking her work on the math and physics sections Wiress was to her favorite part of the exam: The design section. She smiled as she looked at the pictures of machines and electronic devices. She answered questions such as: what material would make this component more durable and why? She knew that the design questions would get more complex toward the end of the section. The last question involved describing how given components could work together to do a task. Wiress wrote out some calculations before writing her plan. She breathed a sigh of relief when she was able to fit her answer in the three page space limit. She closed her exam book and walked quietly to her teacher. Her teacher's eyes widened when she realized Wiress was the first one to finish.

The month of waiting for the exam results wasn't as agonizing as Wiress thought it would be. One Friday afternoon, the principals of the Engineering Academy and the 8th Street Secondary School came to the fifth grade classroom. Terrin and Wiress held hands under their shared desk as the teacher came to the front of the room with thirty envelopes holding each students' acceptance letter to one school or the other. The teacher began to read off the students' names and the school where the student would go. Each student would stand near the principal of the school where he or she had been accepted. The teacher went in alphebetical order. "Crystal Bystrom - 8th Street Secondary."

Everyone cheered and clapped as a girl at the front stood up and received her letter. She walked with a crutch and had to work hard to pass each grade, but she was admired for her determination. The teacher smiled at her knowing that her doctors at birth predicted that she would only be able to learn third grade material. Wiress gave Crystal a smile as the two girls lived in the same hallway of their apartment building. She turned her attention to the teacher as she knew her name was next.

"Nicholas Clearton." The teacher continued. Wiress felt the blood drain from her face and her blood run cold. _They skipped me._ She realized. The students tried to supress their gasps as they realized the teacher's omission. Nicholas looked around stunned. "Nicholas, you're next." The teacher said smiling. He stood up and tried not to look at Wiress. "Engineering Academy." Wiress gripped Terrin's hand in a white-knuckled grip. She closed her eyes picturing her exam again wondering what she did wrong. She opened her eyes when the teacher began reading the J names. "Terrin Jones - 8th Street Secondary." Wiress loosened her grip on his hand as he walked to the front. The rest of the students' names were a blur.

"Now, class, I know you all think I have made a mistake because one of us is still sitting in her seat." The teacher said smiling looking at Wiress who was in her seat, eyes scrunched closed. "Wiress, dear, you can open your eyes." Wiress opened her large eyes filled with dread. "We saved you for last but it only means good things." The teacher held up her envelope. "You have received a special assignment." She nodded to the Engineering Academy principal who opened the classroom door and propped it open. "Wiress Carpenter, you have received clearance to be tutored invididually at the Engineering Academy for the afternoon starting the second half of this school year."

Wiress's eyes widened as she gasped then squeaked in disbelief. Her mouth dropped almost to the desk and her hands went to her cheeks. She was vaugely aware of the rest of the fifth graders cheering loudly. "Wiress, dear, come on up." The teacher said smiling. Legs shaking, Wiress stood up and then squeaked very loudly as a lanky person wearing an Engineering Academy uniform and glasses walked in.

"Wiress, you will be tutored by Mr. Jones the mechanical engineering teacher who will be working closely with Mr. Beetee Tesla, our district's newest inventor." The principal of the Academy said smiling.

"I - Wow - thanks - wow -" Wiress stammered never taking her large eyes off of Beetee who was smiling at her. "I'm going to the academy early!" She gasped.

"Indeed you are. You're a very smart little lady." Beetee said smiling. Wiress blushed as her classmates cheered and laughed. Her fifth grade teacher wrapped her in a hug. The teacher dismissed the students to the cafeteria where they would enjoy cake and ice-cream with the principals of the secondary schools and their families to celebrate their acceptance to their respective schools.


	14. Chapter 14

"Beetee's going to take me to the Engineering Academy." Wiress explained during dinner on the last day of her school's winter break.

"Ooh, Wiress, you get to walk down the street holding _Beetee's hand!_" Wendy squealed.

"Wendy - you know I don't think of him like that -" Wiress began feeling herself blush. She was getting better at defending herself against her sister's teasing, but every now and then she would revert back to squeaking and blushing very darkly.

"No not yet." Wendy said winking. Wiress stuck her tongue out before going back to her ice-cream. Their parents were working late and the girls had fixed themselves soup, sandwiches, and ice-cream for dinner.

"Wendy?" Wiress asked. Wendy nodded and focused on her sister. She could tell her sister had a serious question. "What did you feel when your exams came back? I mean about Max?"

"Well, I knew I wasn't probably going to get into the academy, but I knew Max might." Wendy said. She paused. "I think I figured we'd be friends no matter what. Though I _was_ happy we got into the same school." Wiress smiled.

"Wendy, do you think Terrin will be mad?" Wiress asked worriedly.

"Why?" Wendy asked puzzled. Terrin had never teased Wiress about being smart, in fact, that was something he admired about her.

"Because I did really really well and he's not going to the Academy. Wendy, what if - what if we aren't friends any more because - he thinks I'm too smart for him?" Wiress' eyes teared up. Wendy came over to her side of the table and wrapped her in a hug as she began to cry.

"Little nerdling, I don't think that's going to happen." Wendy said kissing the top of Wiress' forehead. "He's a nice kid. And if _anyone_ stops being friends with my little sister because she's too smart for them, I'll beat them up." Wiress smiled.

"But - Wendy - he should already be in sixth grade. He's twelve already." Wiress said. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "But don't tell anyone, ok? He and Crystal both had to repeat a grade. And Crystal started school a year late too."

"Ok." Wendy said smiling. She had known that because Max had told her. "I won't. But honestly, Wiress, if you guys are truly friends, it won't matter, ok?"

"Ok." Wiress said smiling. They greeted their parents when they came home and fixed them each a heaping bowl of ice-cream. Their parents chatted with them about starting school again and of course congratulated Wiress on her early entry into the Engineering Academy.

The next day, Wiress dressed in her school uniform and carefully folded up her dark blue Engineering Academy sweater and put it in her backpack. She left her apartment and met Crystal in the elevator. "Are you nervous?" Crystal asked as she and Wiress walked to school. "You're going to the Academy now."

"For half the day." Wiress clarified. She grinned. "You'll see me in the mornings." They rounded a corner before someone jumped out from behind a building causing the girls to scream.

"Terrin! That's mean!" Crystal said scowling as Terrin laughed hysterically. Wiress playfully smacked him.

"Wiress, you shouldn't be walking with us." Terrin said eyeing Wiress curiously.

"Yes I am, silly!" Wiress replied. "I go to the academy in the _afternoon._"

"Yeah, and you get tutored by _Beetee._" Terrin said grinning. Wiress blushed.

"By one of his teachers. He's an inventor already." Wiress explained. She quickly changed the subject to what they all did over winter break. Five minutes later, they were on the school grounds.

The morning went quickly for Wiress. She heard a knock on the door as the teacher passed back their composition homework. "Come in!" The teacher called. The door opened.

"Wiress?" Beetee asked. Wiress suppressed a squeak as he looked under his glasses at her in the front row. Crystal and Terrin smiled at her along with the rest of the class. Terrin squeezed Wiress' hand under the table.

"Have a good afternoon, Wiress dear!" The teacher called.

"Bye Wiress!" The fifth grade class called. Wiress smiled at Beetee and turned a healthy shade of pink rather than the beet red he was used to. She hurried to the bathroom and pulled the Engineering Academy sweater over her school clothes. As they walked down the hallway, Beetee gently wrapped her hand in his

"Are you excited?" Beetee asked as they left the school. Wiress squealed.

"I'M GOING TO THE ACADEMY, BEETEE! JUST LIKE YOU!" She skipped along to keep up with his large strides. Beetee smiled. "I'M LIKE EXCITED TO THE INFINITY!" As she skipped, he grabbed her other hand and twirled her around. She giggled and blushed. "_Beetee!_" She squealed. He laughed.

"Just helping you get your energy out before you have to concentrate." Beetee chuckled. They walked to the academy and Wiress checked in with the office staff. He smiled at Mr. Jones who came down the hallway. He saw Wiress and knelt down smiling at her.

"Hi Mr. Jones." Wiress said smiling shyly. Beetee squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Hi Wiress." Mr. Jones said smiling. "I see Mr. Tesla has brought you here for your first day." Wiress smiled and nodded. "Well, why don't you come with me and I'll show you my office. Beetee, what are you up to now, son?"

"Probably going back to the shop." Beetee said. "I can come to walk Wiress home."

"I think the Carpenters will appreciate that very much." Mr. Jones said. As he and Wiress walked down the hallway, Wiress peered into some of the rooms where students were working on robots, machines, or electrical equipment. Finally they reached Mr. Jones' office where Wiress sat at the other end of his desk. They were soon talking about inventing things and physics principles Wiress had not yet mastered. At the end of the day, Beetee came for her so she could learn the route from the Engineering Academy to her house.

"And I learned about electrical current and we even figured out how fast to make the engine on his little car thing go!" Wiress cheered as she skipped along the sidewalk as she held Beetee's hand.

"Wow! I'm glad you like it there. I told you that you'd get in." Beetee said smiling. They rounded the corner and approached Wiress' building. "I can walk you from school to the Academy and then home until you can find you way, and of course when the weather is bad." Beetee said. Wiress squealed before she was lifted in the air and twirled. Her large eyes locked on Beetee's and gasped. Even though she was ten, she saw something different behind his glasses. As she grasped his hands in hers, she thought she saw a spark of love.


	15. Chapter 15

"So, Wiress, I detect something different about you." Beetee said looking under his glasses as Wiress opened the door to her apartment. He was at their house for dinner on a rainy evening in March.

"I'm taller." Wiress giggled twirling around in her school uniform before running into Wendy.

"But no more graceful." Wendy muttered.

"WENDY!" Wiress yelped. The Carpenters laughed from the kitchen. They had shooed everyone into the living room after dinner. Beetee chuckled.

"I noticed you were taller two weeks ago." Beetee commented. "Hm." He paused. "Your academy sweater is a different shade of blue?"

"Nooo." Wiress giggled. Suddenly Beetee snapped his fingers in realization.

"You're older!" He gasped.

"Yeah, little Nerdling's eleven now!" Wendy laughed. Beetee chuckled.

"Happy Birthday, Wiress!" Mr. Carpenter laughed as he pulled out a cake from under a basket. He set it on the table and everyone gathered around. The cake was iced like a simple microchip with Happy Birthday Wiress in yellow lettering like lines on the chip.

"Ooooooh! Wow!" Wiress breathed.

"Decorated just for you, nerdling." Wendy giggled ruffling her little sister's hair.

"It's so cool!" Wiress gasped grinning.

"That it is, Wiress." Beetee said smiling. "Now, do you want the purple capacitor or the chocolate resistor?" he asked pointing to two parts of the cake.

"Mmm - I like chocolate." Wiress giggled.

"Beetee, you're our guest. Would you like to cut the cake?" Mrs. Carpenter asked. Beetee laughed and made drill noises as he cut Wiress' piece while Wiress giggled.

"Mmm! My resistor is sooooo chocolatey!" Wiress sighed nibbling on the candy atop her piece of cake. Beetee sat at the table nearly crying with laughter. Wendy and her parents laughed watching Wiress enjoy her cake. After cake, Wiress opened her gave her a diary-type notebook, her parents gave her some school notebooks and a calculator, and Beetee gave her a gift certificate so she could buy her books for her first year at the Engineering Academy.

Wiress' birthday was the last sunny day before the clouds of hardship began to roll over the district. A week and a half after Wiress' birthday, Beetee was in his former mentor and fellow Victor's house delivering her weekly groceries. Curie was fifty, but years of stress and drug use since her Games made her appear at least twenty years older. Beetee cared for her like she was his mother. "Curie?" Beetee asked after ringing the doorbell. "CURIE!" He yelled through the partially open living room window. "I'M HERE WITH YOUR GROCERIES!" He waited but didn't hear her ancient slippers padding on the floor. Beetee sighed and pulled a wire out of his pocket protector. After picking the lock, Beetee let himself in. "CURIE!" He yelled sensing that something was wrong with his mentor. Running up the stairs, he noticed her bedroom door was ajar. Pushing open the door, he saw her curled up on her side under her blankets. "Curie? I'm here." Beetee said. He gulped. The absence of her loud snores was unnerving. Reaching out a hand, he touched her shoulder that felt as cold as the room. "Oh - no -" he looked at an opened vial of pills and a third of a glass of water on the bedside table. "Curie -" He whispered sinking to his knees near the bed. The closest person to a family member he had was gone. She was free.

A surprising amount of people came to Curie's funeral a few days later. The district vital records magistrate said a few words before she was laid to rest under the soot saturated soil. Many families spoke about how Curie was kind to them even though their children never made it out of the arena. Beetee stayed near the grave after the magistrate left. He heard the sound of small feet shuffling behind him. "Wiress?" Beetee asked. Wiress hugged her black rain jacket over her school clothes. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I - I thought Mom and Dad would be here." Wiress said quietly. "I thought they'd be there helping you."

"I didn't see your parents here, Wiress." Beetee said worriedly. "You don't know where they are?" Wiress shook her head.

"I stopped at their factory, but the foreman just told me to go back home." Wiress paused. "He sounded scared. I asked him if he thought something malfunctioned but -" Wiress gulped and a tear slid down her face. "But he - he told me to go home where it was safe." Beetee scooped the eleven year old into his arms and began running. "Beetee?" Wiress asked worriedly. Beetee shook his head and ran with Wiress all the way to her building. He set her down so she could check the mail in the lobby. Once they were on her floor, he grabbed her hand and ran down the hallway.

"WIRESS CARPENTER, WHERE DID YOU GO?" Wendy screamed slamming down a spoon on the counter. She turned off the burner and grabbed Wiress by the shoulders shaking her. "YOU JUST LEFT AND I _TOLD_ YOU TO STAY HERE! NEVER EVER DO THAT EVER AGAIN!" Wiress pushed Wendy away.

"Because something didn't make _sense,_ Wendy!" Wiress snapped. "Our parents usually don't stay late and they would've called us beforehand! Even if it was short notice! _Something's_ going on, and I want to know what it is!"

"I _know,_ Wiress, but you _can't just wander the District! _You might have an IQ of 200, but you're still eleven. Stuff could still happen!" Wendy shot back before sighing."Hello, Beetee." Wendy said noticing the lanky boy studying the corner of the living room as to not overhear her scolding Wiress. "Thanks for bringing my sister back home." Beetee nodded. He sighed and felt a small hand take his. He squeezed it reassuringly. Wiress smiled up at him. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"I should get back -" Beetee paused before they heard the sirens coming from the cars that the Peacekeepers were driving through the streets announcing that no citizen was allowed outside for the next twelve hours. "Or not."

"What - what about - Mom and Dad?" Wiress asked before breaking down hugging Wendy. Tears streamed down Wendy's face as she held her sister in an iron-tight grip.

"They'll just stay at the factory, Nerdling. C'mon, let's get dinner and do our homework." She smiled in between sniffles. "Beetee can help you tonight." Beetee chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure you won't need help." He helped Wendy fix buttered noodles and vegetables. Wiress put the plates on the table and poured iced-tea for everyone. The three of them ate dinner and pitched in to clean up the kitchen. After dinner Wendy and Wiress began their homework and Beetee worked on some of his inventions. Wendy and Wiress went to bed at their usual times while Beetee slept on the couch.

"I'm glad Beetee's here." Wendy said. Wiress smiled. She snuggled with Wendy.

"Me too." Wiress said. She sat up and pattered out to the living room. Beetee was dozing with a blanket wrapped around himself, and his glasses on the coffee table. "Beetee?" He looked over.

"Did you need something, Wiress?" Wiress shrugged.

"I - have a good night, Beetee." Wiress said quietly. She came closer to Beetee. Slowly, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his forehead. Beetee smiled looking into her large eyes that still betrayed worry. "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome, Wiress. I'm glad I can help you and your sister." Beetee said smiling at her.

"I - I love you." Wiress whispered. She kissed Beetee on the forehead again and felt trembling lips on her cheek.

"I - I love you too." Beetee whispered. He bit his lip to keep from laughing along with Wendy who was giggling at hearing Wiress humming and skipping down the hallway. He fervently hoped the Carpenters were ok and was grateful that he was able to protect Wiress and Wendy as much as he could.


	16. Chapter 16

"Beetee, son, thank you - thank you _so much -_" Mr. Carpenter said as he wrapped the young man in a hug early the next morning. "Thank you for watching the girls."

"I - I just slept." Beetee stammered embarrassed.

"They wouldn't have been able to sleep if you weren't there, dear." Mrs. Carpenter said patting him on the shoulder before wrapping him in a hug.

"MOM! DAD!" Wendy and Wiress yelled happily at hearing their parents' voices. They raced each other down the hallway to the living room before hugging their parents.

"Oh - girls - my girls -" Mr. Carpenter whispered. "You two were so brave."

"We love you, girls." Mrs. Carpenter said kissing her daughters.

"Where were you, Mom and Dad?" Wiress asked, her large eyes searching out her parents' tired faces.

"We - we had to take care of some things at work." Mrs. Carpenter said quietly.

"But you would've called, Mom." Wiress said.

"Wiress, honey, you need to trust what we tell you, ok?" Mr. Carpenter said gently but firmly knowing they were being watched very closely. Wiress nodded and wrapped her arms around her father. "That's my girl." He whispered into her ear before kissing her.

"I tried to keep Wiress in the house, but she insisted on finding you guys." Wendy said with an air of wanting to get it off her chest.

"WENDY!" Wiress yelped. "TATTLE TALE!" She yelled stamping her foot.

"Well?" Wendy asked, crossing her arms and staring at her little sister. "_You_ explain it then, Smarty Pants Engineer."

"Wiress Carpenter," Mrs. Carpenter began sternly. "When we can't be home for _any_ reason, you _must_ listen to your sister. I know you're eleven now, but we all want to keep you safe." She smiled. "Luckily our Victor was able to protect you this time." Wiress blushed and let out a small squeak. She met Beetee's eyes as he gazed at her under his glasses.

"I'd better let you get on with your morning. Good bye, Wendy and Wiress." Beetee said knowing the Carpenters would want some time with their daughters. Wendy waved at Beetee before Wiress wrapped him in a hug.

"Take care, son." Mr. Carpenter said smiling. "Thanks again." He and his wife fixed a hot breakfast for their daughters while they got ready for school. The girls allowed their parents to dote on them a bit more - fixing hair-ribbons, arranging their books in their backpacks, and helping them into their spring jackets before they left for the day. Even though the girls wondered why their parents were being vague about their absence, the girls were grateful that they had returned.

A week after Beetee had to stay over, Wiress and Crystal were walking to school when they were stopped by Peacekeepers. "What are your names?" The man asked staring down at them. Wiress squeezed Crystal's hand in a comforting grip.

"Wiress Carpenter."

"Crystal Bystrom."

"Are your parents part of the unions?" The Peacekeeper asked. The girls shook their heads. The Peacekeeper leered at them. "Didn't you girls learn in school not to lie?" Wiress screamed and yanked Crystal out of the way of the Peacekeeper's swinging baton. The Peacekeeper laughed evilly as Wiress and Crystal fell down on the soot covered sidewalk.

"WIRESS! CRYSTAL!" Terrin and Max yelled running toward them. Max picked Crystal up to carry her to school. Terrin wrapped Wiress in a hug. "We'll keep you safe."

"Oh - Terrin - " Wiress sobbed. Terrin held her close and used his sleeve to wipe away Wiress' tears. He kissed her on the cheek before they made their way to school. Terrin and Wiress were able to convince the teacher that Crystal tripped on the curb of the sidewalk.

Beetee noticed Wiress' subdued demeanor as they walked to the Academy. "Is something going on, Wiress?" A tear leaked out of Wiress' eye.

"I - I'm just - I never know when Mom and Dad will work long hours and - And Wendy and I eat late. I just want them to be home for dinner." Wiress said choosing her words carefully even though tears were falling freely from her face. "It's - I want to concentrate on my homework - but - I can't when I don't know -" Beetee picked her up and held her as he sat on the steps of the academy. "Oh, Beetee -" Wiress whispered before sobbing into his shirt. Beetee rubbed her back as she cried.

"Do your friends' parents work late too?" He asked. Wiress nodded. She knew Terrin and Crystal's parents 'worked late' at the factories as well. "Sometimes - sometimes production issues cause them to stay late. Don't worry. It will pass, Wiress. Once you get to the academy, you can make things better in the factories. I promise."

"But - Beetee - you invent. You can invent stuff to help the factories too." Wiress suggested hopefully. Beetee looked into large eyes shining with tears and smiled.

"You're right. I can." Beetee whispered before kissing her forehead. "C'mon. Let's get you to class, my prototype engineer." Wiress giggled at her new nickname. She had insisted he stop calling her squirt after she turned eleven. He opened the doors before watching her skip to Mr. Jones' office.

He returned to his invention shop after taking Wiress to the academy. Looking toward factory five, he sighed knowing that the workers were attempting to organize into unions to protest the Capitol's low wages, lack of concern over workers' safety, and constant punishment for not turning out the latest product fast enough for the Capitol citizens' pleasures. He knew Wiress and her friends were suffering because of their parents' stress, yet he still had hope that some citizens would be resilient. After spending time with Wiress, he knew she and Wendy would be one of the resilient ones. He knew their parents were some of the leaders of the unions and couldn't help but worry if the girls would somehow be punished.

Suddenly he had an idea. He made a padlock to put his key in before latching it to the windowsill. He made two keys for the lock before going to the store. Once there, he bought several cans of food and two blankets. The Carpenter girls could stay in the shop if anything happened to them. He also wanted to keep Wiress safe as his light in an otherwise dark world of revisiting the arena in his dreams and daydreams. No matter what the Capitol would do to that family, he hoped he would be able to get them through. He wanted to repay them back for everything had done for him since he came home.


	17. Chapter 17

"Wendy! Guess what!" Wiress squealed as she burst through the door of the Carpenters' apartment one afternoon at the end of April.

"What, Nerdling?" Wendy asked cooking some vegetables and checking on the bread in the oven.

"I got tickets! To the dance!"

"The Academy dance?" Wendy asked.

"_No!_ The sit on the floor and be bored dance!" Wiress rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with her recently mastered skill of sarcasm.

"Shut up, nerdling." Wendy said with mock annoyance. "So, you said tickets. Plural. Who's the lucky boy?" Wiress blushed.

"I - I asked - Terrin." Wiress stammered blushing.

"No shame in that." Wendy said grinning.

"I - but - I - I didn't know who to ask first though." Wiress said as Wendy put a plate of steamed vegetables and bread in front of her. They sat down to eat as their parents were working late again. "I - " Wiress blushed even darker.

"Oh, Wiress nerdling. Don't tell me you almost invited Beetee." Wendy sighed as she read her sister's mind perfectly. Wiress squeaked before Wendy burst out laughing.

"He probably would've said yes." Wendy said around her giggles.

"But - but - he's out of school and - a - famous inventor." Wiress squeaked. "That would be _weird._" Wendy chuckled. "Besides, I invited Terrin because he wanted to see where I'll be going to school next year. But,Wendy, I - I - do you think it's weird I almost invited Beetee?"

"Wiress, he's a nineteen year old nerdy kid. I'm sure he'd think it was cute." Wendy laughed. "Besides, when you're eighteen, he'll only be twenty-six." Wiress stared at her puzzled. "Never mind. What will you wear?"

"Um -" Wiress paused. "I haven't thought that far." Wendy clapped her hands.

"Oh, I'll have _fun_ dressing up my little nerdling!" Wendy squealed. After they ate, Wendy dragged Wiress into their room and began nearly dismantling her side of the closet.

"Now turn around!" Wendy instructed. Wiress spun around in yet another dress in front of their mirror that usually had a layer of soot on it. Wiress had cleaned the mirror as Wendy was pulling out dresses. "Nah. That's not you, Nerdling." Wendy sat on her bed and thought. "Hm." She dug around and pulled out a dress she hadn't seen in a while. It was her first reaping dress. _Why not? Nerdling should have at least one good memory in this thing._ The dress was a light purple with the skirt coming down in soft ruffles. A navy blue sash went around the waist and the short sleeves were slightly puffy. "There." Wiress smiled as she looked

"I like it." Wiress said grinning.

"Good." Wendy said. Wiress helped Wendy reassemble their closet before they turned in for the evening.

"Now, smile." Wendy said as she fixed Wiress' hair in an up-do before tying a ribbon around a large portion of her hair. It was the night of the dance. "Are you meeting Terrin there?" Wiress nodded before going out to the living room to her parents.

"You look lovely, dear." Mr. Carpenter said smiling. Mrs. Carpenter smiled and hugged her daughter. Mr. Carpenter would walk Wiress to the dance while Mrs. Carpenter worked on paperwork and Wendy finished up some end of the year projects. Wiress twirled around in her dress. "Wendy got that hair up nicely." Mr. Carpenter said smiling. He led Wiress down the streets to the Engineering Academy. They walked down the familiar hallways to the gym where some of the students were waiting to get in. "Is that Terrin?" he asked pointing to a twelve-year old boy standing nervously against the wall. Terrin was in black slacks, a dark green blazer, and a white shirt. He blushed as he struggled to re-tie his tie. "Hi, Terrin."

"H - Hi, Mr. Carpenter." Terrin stammered blushing.

"May I, son?" Wiress supressed a giggle as Mr. Carpenter helped Terrin with his tie. "There. Pull from _that_ end and it stays loose while you adjust it, ok?"

"Thanks." Terrin said. He gasped when he saw Wiress. "Wow!" He stared at her wide-eyed. "You look amazing!" He gasped.

"Thanks." Wiress said. She took his hands and they both blushed knowing Mr. Carpenter was still watching them.

"Ok, kids. I'll get Wiress at nine. Your parents are coming for you, Terrin?" Mr. Carpenter asked. Terrin nodded. Wiress giggled as her father kissed her on the cheek. "Wiress, you enjoy yourself. Terrin, have fun with my princess, ok?" The kids presented their tickets to the faculty chaperones at the door and went inside.

The new polish from the gym floor shone even in the dim light of the strings of lights hung from the rafters. Music from a sound system was playing. A table at the end of the gym had sweet rolls and water for the kids. Some kids were sitting around tables and chairs brought down from the classrooms and placed along the sides of the gym. Others were dancing. "Shall we dance?" Terrin asked. Wiress blushed and nodded. They danced around while watching the older kids who were a bit more confident in what they were doing. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Thanks for coming." Wiress said smiling. She smiled at Terrin. "The light makes you look pretty." Terrin snorted down a laugh. "I - I mean - boy pretty."

"Handsome?" A deep amused voice asked. Wiress whirled around and gasped.

"Beetee!" She gasped. Beetee adjusted his glasses and looked under them at the small couple.

"Thought I'd drop by." He said grinning.

"Uh - you can dance with Wiress - you know - if you want." Terrin offered seeing Beetee's eyes glued to Wiress as she grinned at him.

"I'll let you kids dance to the fast stuff." Beetee chuckled. "You both look very nice." He went off to chat with some seniors at the academy who had internships at his shop.

"Handsome." Wiress said squeezing Terrin's hands. "That's what you are, Terrin." She kissed him on the cheek. After four up-beat songs, they went to the refreshments table and split a sweet roll. Terrin led them to a table where they sat drinking water and watching the other kids. His hand found Wiress' and they smiled shyly at each other. "What are you thinking?" Wiress asked noticing the far off look on his face.

"I'm just glad I get to have fun." He said smiling. "With you." He sighed again.

"Are you worried?" Wiress asked quietly. "About next month?" The reaping was in four weeks. Terrin nodded before Wiress squeezed his hand tenderly. "I think you'll be ok, Terrin." He smiled but decided not to tell Wiress that his parents were punished for their labor organizing activities recently. Because of their actions, he would have twenty slips in the reaping ball. "You don't think so?"

"I -" Terrin paused. "I just want to spend a long long time with you, Wiress." She smiled. A slow song came on the speakers. She gently pulled him to the dance floor.

"We can pretend this song goes on for ever and ever." Wiress whispered before Terrin wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her cheek as they swayed with the music. Wiress looked into Terrin's eyes memorizing the four freckles on his nose and the way his bangs fell across his forehead. As the song came to an end, Wiress felt trembling lips press against hers. "I love you." Wiress whispered.

"I love you too." Terrin whispered. They were oblivious to several fifteen year old girls giggling at them.

"Aaaw - look at the little kids kissing." One of them giggled. Beetee overheard and looked over at Wiress and Terrin who were sharing a long very serious kiss. His heart swelled. _My little prototype engineer is falling in love._ He thought smiling.

"Mm - Terrin - blah!" Wiress yelped pulling away. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"Wiress - are - are you ok?" Terrin asked nervously.

"I just tasted your tongue!" Wiress yelped.

"Uh - I think you're supposed to." Terrin stammered blushing furiously.

"Oh." Wiress blushed again. "I - I still love you."

"Wanna sit down?" Terrin asked. Wiress shrugged as another song started up.

"I can dance with her if you need a break, Terrin." Beetee said coming over to them.

"Ok." Terrin said happily as he eyed the refreshment table again. "Meet me at the table! They just brought out cookies! Want one?" Wiresss' eyes let up.

"Yeah!" Wiress squealed. "Do they have the sprinkle kind?"

"I'll ask." Terrin said grinning before going over to the table. Wiress watched him before two larger hands took her own.

"Hi, Beetee. Thanks for dancing with me." Wiress said smiling. He smiled at her as they danced. After the song was over, he kissed her on the forehead before she went over to her and Terrin's table. Terrin had brought her a chocolate chip cookie.

When the dance was over, Terrin and Wiress walked hand in hand out of the gym. Their parents met them. "Well, looks like you both had fun!" Mr. Carpenter said smiling. Wiress looked at Terrin and giggled.

"We did." Wiress said grinning. She yawned.

"My princess must come home from the ball now." Mr. Carpenter said smiling before picking her up.

"Night, Terrin!" Wiress called before resting her head against her father's shoulder and neck.

"Bye, Wiress!" Terrin called waving at her. He watched her father carry her down the hallway before leaving with his parents.

Wendy was waiting in her and Wiress' bedroom when Mr. Carpenter carried Wiress in. "Well, how was the dance with your boyfriend, nerdling?" Wendy asked as she helped Wiress out her dress.

"_Wendy!_" Wiress yelped. "Terrin's my friend." She said around a yawn.

"Uhhuh. Did you guys kiss?" Wiress blushed. "Yes? Ooh, was it a French kiss?"

"You mean where you gotta stick your tongue in the other person's mouth?" Wiress squeaked pulling on her nightgown. Wendy winked at her. "Uh -" Wiress turned even redder. Wendy fell onto her bed laughing hysterically.

"YES! Did Beetee see?"

"I - I dunno." Wiress said still blushing. "Wendy, why do grown-ups kiss like that? Terrin's tongue tasted weird!" Wendy couldn't answer, she was laughing so hard. She wiped her tears on her blanket. "Wendy!" Wiress yelped. "Promise you won't tell Mom and Dad?"

"Promise." Wendy said grinning. Wiress hung the dress up on Wendy's side of the closet. "Wiress, it's yours." Wendy pointed out. "Remember?"

"But Wendy, when can I wear it again? It's so pretty!" Wiress sighed stroking the material.

"To your first reaping." Wendy explained.

"Ok." Wiress said before she went into her box of hair ribbons and pulled out a long length of gold silky ribbon. "Wendy?" She asked.

"Yes?" Wendy asked getting off her bed and walking over to the closet.

"Could you wear this next month? With your dress?"

"Wiress - this is your 'wire ribbon.'" Wendy said slowly taking the ribbon into her hands.

"My electromagnetic current ribbon." Wiress corrected automatically. "Please Wendy? I - I just want you to wear it. For me." Wendy wrapped her arms around Wiress.

"Ok, Nerdling. Just for you." Wendy promised before tying the ribbon around the grey sequenced dress she was going to wear in four weeks. "Thanks, Nerdling."

"Then I'll be wth you. I love you, Wendy." Wiress whispered before snuggling against Wendy and falling asleep.

* * *

A/N: That's right! The Reaping is the next chapter! Some elements will be courtesy of NutsandVolts aka Wendy :D


	18. Chapter 18

Wiress woke up and snuggled closer to Wendy. "Mmm, move over, Nerdling." Wendy muttered as her eyes fluttered open.

"Wendy," Wiress whimpered. Wendy kissed her on the head and ruffled her hair.

"Don't look so glum, Nerding. I get to dress you up today" Wendy said smiling. She helped Wiress dress into a light yellow blouse and a navy blue jumper. Wendy put half of Wiress' hair up in a barette. Wiress helped Wendy braid her hair as the girls talked and giggled in the bathroom.

"You're pretty, Wendy." Wiress said pinning Wendy's hair up. She kissed Wendy on the cheek before tugging on Wendy's sash that was Wiress' ribbon.

"Aaw." Wendy smiled before tickling Wiress. Wiress giggled then sighed betraying her worry. "It's hard when they're your classmates." Wendy admitted. "I know you're thinking about Terrin and Crystal." Wiress nodded. Both Crystal and Terrin were eligible for the reaping this year. "You learn to cope. And I'll help you."

"Thanks, Wendy." Wiress said smiling. Wendy smiled back. They joined their parents in the living room before they all headed to the town square. Wiress waved to Terrin in the twelve year old boys' section and Crystal in the twelve year old girls' section. She smiled at Beetee and stared at him during the mayor's speech. Then it was time for Eustacia to take the stage. Wiress gulped and looked at Wendy Wendy in the fifteen year old section. She smiled reassuringly at her little sister.

"And now, for this year's tributes who have the _honor _of representing District Three, shall we chose the boys or the girls?" Eustacia gestured at the two reaping balls. The district as always was dead silent. "Come on, citizens of District Three! I know you're just anxious to chose your tributes!" Wiress looked at Beetee who appeared sad. She wondered if he could see her in the crowd. "You are all so quiet today!" Eustacia screeched. "Well, as the ladies went first last year, it's the boys' turn!" She laughed before reaching her hand in. "Terrin Jones."

Wiress gasped as Terrin came out of the twelve year olds section. Tears welled up in her eyes. _He's so brave._ she thought as he walked to the stage, his head held high. Wiress looked at the ground when he climbed the stairs so he wouldn't see her starting to cry.

"And now for the ladies!" Wiress watched Eustacia dig around to the very bottom and picked out a name. "Crystal Bystrom!" She trilled. "Crystal! Come on up, dear!" There was some movement in the twelve year olds' section. "Crystal! Now, don't be shy, I know you're in there. Don't you want to hurry for the cameras?" Just then Crystal emerged from her section. Her legs were shaking causing her to limp more than usual. "Can you stand up straighter, dear?"

"NO, she CAN'T!" Wendy burst out furiously. "CAN'T YOU SEE SHE'S TRYING?"

"And who are you?" Eustacia asked, her eyes narrowing. Wiress gasped but her mother put a hand over her mouth.

"I'm Wendy Carpenter." Wendy called. "I volunteer as tribute because Crystal has been shamed enough by you. She does _not_ need to die in your horrible sadistic Games!" Wendy said. She made her way to the front of her section. Even though she was terrified about the decision she was making, she had to do the right thing.

"That's the spirit! Wendy Carpenter!" Eustacia squealed, excited that something interesting was happening in the district. Wendy stared confidently into the crowd and flashed them a winning smile. The crowd stared back, horrified that a girl with a disability was shamed on national TV and this outspoken fifteen year old had to take her place.

Wiress shook her head violently, not believing one second that Wendy was enjoying herself as she waved as she walked onto stage. "Honey - you can't go up there." Mrs. Carpenter said frantically. Mr. Carpenter wrapped Wiress in a bear hug, but Wiress stomped on his toe hard enough so he released his grip. "WIRESS!" Mrs. Carpenter screamed terrified as Wiress ran into the reaping age area. Mr. Carpenter held her back as to not have two of his girls get hurt.

"WENDY!" Wiress screamed as Wendy began climbing the stairs to the stage. "WENDY! NO! WENDY!" She kept running toward the stage sobbing.

"Get back! You're not old enough to be here!" A Peacekeeper snarled stepping in front of the stage. Wiress skidded to a halt before dropping to her knees, her large eyes leaking tears as she stared at the stage where her sister and best friend stood as tributes.

"She's my sister - please - don't let her go - _please!_" Wiress pleaded. "She just wanted my friend to stay!" Wiress looked at her sister. "Wendy's my sister!" Wiress sobbed. "WENDY! WENDY!"

"Get. Back." The peacekeeper growled gripping his large automatic rifle tighter. Wiress locked her large eyes on Beetee. He blinked back tears behind his glasses knowing he couldn't show that Wiress' pleading was breaking him inside.

"Nerding, I'll be back." Wendy said smiling. "You know this." However, a flash of fear across her otherwise enthusiastic face betrayed her true feelings.

"Bring her back, Beetee - please, Beetee - _please!_ " Suddenly the Peacekeeper unlatched the safety lock on his rifle. "_Beetee - please - promise me!_" Wiress screamed through her tears a second before a loud gunshot rang out.

Beetee gasped as Wiress' head snapped back The bullet hit the ground and was embedded in the concrete as a cloud of soot rose around it. Drops of blood stained the layers of soot on the sidewalk as the wound on the side of Wiress' head bled freely. She remained kneeling but had her hands on her head. "WIRESS!" Beetee yelled standing up as Wendy let out a bloodcurdling scream. The Peacekeepers grabbed her, Terrin, and Beetee and pushed them back into the Justice Center. The last thing they all saw was Wiress clutching the side of her head as blood ran in rivulets down her shoulder, onto her clothing, and into a puddle on the soot covered sidewalk.

"Wiress - oh honey -" Mrs. Carpenter gasped kneeling down beside her daughter. "Good girl, let's keep pressure on that wound, honey." Mr. Carpenter pulled off his shirt and tore it into strips to bandage his daughter's head.

"Wendy - Wendy!" Wiress sobbed.

"We can visit Wendy then we have to go to the hospital." Mrs. Carpenter said. Mr. Carpenter picked Wiress up and carried her to the Justice Building where Wendy was waiting. They settled Wiress on Wendy's lap.

"Oh, Nerdling." Wendy sighed wrapping her little sister in a hug.

"Wendy - Wendy -" Wiress wailed wrapping her arms around Wendy's neck.

"Wiress, look at me." Wendy said looking into her little sister's large eyes still bright with tears that were streaming down her cheeks. "Wiress, I _will_ do everything I can to win for you, my Nerdling. Do you hear me?"

"Y - Yes." Wiress whimpered. "Oh, Wendy." Wendy kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll see you later. I love you. Now go see Terrin."

"I love you, Wendy, I love you so much." Wiress whispered kissing Wendy's forehead. She hurried to the other room.

"Terrin -" Wiress whimpered seeing Terrin curled up looking so small on the large plush couch in the room.

"Wiress! Why aren't you in the hospital?" Terrin yelped staring at her head wound that was crudely bandaged.

"I had to see you." Wiress said. Terrin wrapped his small friend in a hug. "It doesn't hurt bad, I promise, Terrin." Wiress said staring into his eyes.

"Wiress," Terrin said solemnly looking into her large eyes who were tearing up yet again. "I'm going to protect your sister."

"Oh, Terrin." Wiress began.

"For you." Terrin whispered. Wiress threw her arms around him and they shared a brief kiss. Terrin tasted the tears rolling down Wiress' cheeks.

"I love you, Terrin." Wiress whispered.

"I know. I love you too, Wiress." Terrin said. "Wiress, invent something cool for me, please?" Wiress nodded. "And Wiress -" He paused and grinned. "Marry Beetee for me, ok?" Wiress giggled.

"Sssh - that's our secret, don't tell, promise?" Wiress asked. Terrin nodded eagerly. "Pinkie swear?" the two kids linked pinkies. Terrin hugged her again. "I will never ever forget you, Terrin."

"Thanks for everything, Wiress." Terrin said smiling. Wiress ran to her parents who were coming out of Wendy's room. Mrs. Carpenter picked her up. Mr. Carpenter led his girls down the street from the Justice Building. They held their tears in until they were sure Wendy couldn't hear before they dissolved into sobs as they held each other tightly.

* * *

A/N: Some of Wendy's personality traits she exhibits during the reaping are ideas from NutsandVolts aka... Wendy G. :)


	19. Chapter 19

"Honey, once you get to the fiftieth digit of pi, I bet they'll be done." Mrs. Carpenter said soothingly to a crying scared Wiress who was laying on the examination table in the hospital. A doctor and two nurses had cleaned her head wound and were preparing to stitch it closed. Wiress nodded. She began reciting as the nurses positioned her head to hold it still.

"Three - ow - point one four five..." Her mother held her hand and brushed tears away from her eyes and her father held her chest and legs down so she wouldn't wiggle much while the doctors stitched up the wound on her head. "Mommy -" Wiress began sobbing. The doctor paused to give Wiress another shot for pain. She looked down at her small patient and blinked back tears. Word of her sister's plight had spread quickly through the hospital.

"Honey, they're over half-way done." Mrs. Carpenter said gently.

"And they gave you some more pain medicine, squirt." Mr. Carpenter said smiling.

"What if Wendy gets hurt? What if Wendy gets hurt real bad?" Wiress sobbed.

"You know what, she's a very strong girl." Mrs. Carpenter said stroking Wiress' face and squeezing her hand. "Do you remember when she fell off the counter and broke her arm?"

"Yeah." Wiress said. "Mommy, I'm sorry. We wanted cookies and we didn't want to ask you. I made her climb on the counter." Mr. Carpenter chuckled.

"Well, what your mother is trying to say is Wendy had no problems with that. I think she'll be ok." The doctor helped Wiress slowly sit up, propped up on pillows, and drink a clear liquid medication.

"I want Wendy to come home." Wiress whimpered before wrapping her arms around her mother and father.

"We know, sweetie. We know." Mrs. Carpenter whispered rubbing her back.

"Wiress, you did really awesome with holding still and your wound doesn't look sick. We're going to let you rest in the hospital for a little bit just to make sure you're ok." The doctor said smiling at Wiress who nodded.

"Take a nap, my princess." Mr. Carpenter whispered pulling the blankets over Wiress. The doctor explained to them that she had given Wiress a sedative. After another check on her wound, the Carpenters carried Wiress home and settled her in their bed as both of them weren't prepared to enter the girls' room knowing Wendy might not step foot in it again.

Meanwhile, Wendy, Terrin, and Beetee were on the train to the Capitol. "Hey." Wendy said knocking on Terrin's door. "What's up, kid?" She asked smiling and leaning casually against the doorframe. Terrin raised his tear streaked face from the bed.

"I - I - just keep seeing Wiress die all over again!" Terrin wept.

"She didn't die, remember? She came and said goodbye to you, right?" Wendy asked. Terrin nodded. "My parents took her to the hospital after she talked with us. I think she'll be ok."

"Do you miss her a lot?" Terrin asked. Wendy bit her lip hard so she wouldn't cry.

"Of course. She's my Nerdling." Wendy laughed. "Wanna hear a funny story about Wiress?" Wendy asked grinning evilly. Terrin sat up on his bed as Wendy sat down. "So, she was four and I was eight. We were at the grocery store when Wiress had run off to look at one of the displays. So of course I go over and she's staring at these plates on a wire table." Terrin nodded. "This table had these tiny square holes, just the right size for Nerdling's fingers." Wendy giggled. "Wiress was singing 'My finger in the square, my finger is out, my finger in the square,'" She impersonated Wiress in a very high voice singing. "Then I jumped behind her and yelled, 'WIRESS!' She _freaks out_ and ends up shoving her finger all the way in the square." Terrin gasped.

"She got her finger stuck?" Wendy doubled over laughing.

"And - my mom and dad tried so hard not to laugh at her, but they and the store manager got her unstuck." Terrin laughed. "There. That's a funny Nerdling story for you."

"When did you start calling her Nerdling?" Terrin asked curiously. Wendy grinned.

"Her second day of school." The door opened wider and Beetee came in.

"Do tell." He chuckled sitting in a mahogany chair near Terrin's bed.

"Well, I get out of school and I go to the first grade classroom and there's Nerdling at her desk while all the other kids were playing. You were there, Terrin." Terrin grinned. "Anyway, Nerdling comes over and she said, 'Wendy! I got all ten points! And I drew a battery! Yes, she designed a battery with little knobs that were in the shape of a star." Beetee joined Terrin and Wendy in laughing. "And I said, 'Wiress, you're _such a nerdling!'" _Wendy laughed until tears streamed down her face. Soon she was sobbing into her hands.

"Wendy?" Terrin asked worriedly.

"Beetee - I can't - I can't break Wiress' heart by not coming home - I can't -" She sobbed. "I'm sorry -"

"No, I - I'm sure my brother felt the same way." Beetee mumbled. "My brother Argon." He sighed. "I know you will do your best. Both of you will. For Wiress. I will do my best."

"To mentor us?" Wendy asked. She looked into Beetee's dark sad eyes behind his glasses. "You'll mentor us for Wiress, won't you?" Beetee smiled, but his eyes remained sad.

"You love her too, huh." Terrin asked. Beetee wordlessly nodded. They watched the Capitol come into view in silence before discussing the opening ceremonies. As Wendy and Terrin came off the train waving to the crowd, they knew that they had to be strong for their large eyed girl back home.

Wiress was wrapped in a blanket as she and her parents watched the opening ceremonies. She gasped as Wendy and Terrin's chariot came into view. Terrin was wearing a long sleeved somewhat fitted shirt and pants that lit up in various places and had what looked like electrical cords running up an down. Wendy was wearing a silver shimmery dress that was floor length with quarter length sleeves, and a v-neck. It was patterned and lit up similar to Terrin's clothing. A necklace that had D3 in small lights on a metal background helped illuminate her face. Wendy waved and blew kisses to the crowd as the chariot wound through the streets.

"They look nice, don't they?" Mrs. Carpenter said quietly. Wiress nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"Wendy - Terrin - Wendy!" Wiress whimpered. Mrs. Carpenter sniffled before her husband put his arm around her and Wiress. "Wendy - Wendy -" Wiress whimpered, tears streaming down her face as the president talked. She reached her hand out toward the screen as the cameras focused on the tributes going back to the training center. "Wendy -" Wiress sobbed. "Terrin - Wendy!"

"Let's get you to bed, honey." Mr. Carpenter whispered. Wiress continued crying. "Honey, the parade is over. They won't show Wendy anymore tonight." He lifted Wiress up and carried Wiress to her room. Mrs. Carpenter steeled herself to open the girls' door. She couldn't bring herself to pick up Wendy's socks and pajama shirt scattered on the floor. She placed a hand on Wendy's blanket and blinked back tears. Mr. Carpenter settled Wiress on the two beds that were still pushed together.

"No - n - n - NOOOOO!" Wiress wailed wrapping up in her blankets. She tore at Wendy's bed that they had pushed against hers two days before the Reaping. "WENDY!"

"Honey, I know you miss your sister. We miss her too." Mrs. Carpenter said blinking back tears. "Baby, we want Wendy back too. We want our Wendy back." Wiress pressed her face into Wendy's blanket and wailed. Her parents sat with her, embracing each other as they wept silently into each other's arms. After half an hour, Wiress' sobs had yet to subside.

"Wiress, would you like to stay with us? Just for tonight and the night before the Games?" Mr. Carpenter suggested. Wiress nodded, her large eyes showing immense fear and sadness. She grabbed Wendy's blanket before her father carried her into the other bedroom. The three Carpenters wrapped their arms around each other and cried as they hoped against hope that Wendy would join them soon.


	20. Chapter 20

Wendy opened her eyes and sat up, jolted by the complete silence of the room. Usually she woke up to Wiress poking her if they were snuggled together or Wiress jumping onto her bed shaking her awake. Wendy smiled thinking about how excited Wiress was for school or, when the weekend came around, an excursion to the electronics surplus store. "I miss you, Nerdling." Wendy sighed looking at the ceiling. She yawned and changed out of her pajamas into some training clothes that had been laid out on a chair next to her bed. The shirt and sweats were made of moisture wicking fabric and had the number 3 stitched on them. She wondered if any past tributes wore these clothes before going to the dining room for breakfast.

"Hi, Terrin!" She called seeing Terrin piling his plate high with sausage and eggs from the platters on the large dining room table. "How did you sleep?" Terrin shrugged. Wendy smiled at Beetee who was wordlessly fixing his tea. Terrin was wearing the same type of training uniform.

"Eat up. You two have a full day of training." Beetee said. The tributes nodded. Wendy smiled at him putting on a confident facade. "What do you two think you'd be good at?"

"Well - I've wrestled Max a few times." Terrin pointed out. He blushed. "I gave him a wedgie last weel!" Wendy giggled in spite of herself.

"Well - good luck doing that to a Career. As a last resort of course." Beetee said chuckling.

"I guess, I can run fast." Terrin said.

"Wendy?" Beetee asked.

"I guess I could do traps. I've picked up some engineering tips from Nerdling."

"Well, why don't you two experiment today and you two can specialize tomorrow and the next day." Beetee suggested. Terrin and Wendy nodded. They ate as much as they possibly could and then Eustacia took them to the training area.

Terrin sat on the grass and began working with scraps of wood and rope. He placed the trap near Wendy's foot as she stood up to collect firewood. They heard a sudden snap before Wendy's foot was caught. "TERRIN! That's NOT FUNNY!" Wendy screeched jumping around in pain as Terrin howled with laughter. "YOU LITTLE -" She yelped glaring at Terrin, but the amusement in her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

"I got you, Wendy!"

"Yeah yeah." Wendy muttered. She built a trap while Terrin learned about poisonous plants. He ran over to her as she was building a shelter.

"Wendy! Guess what - AAAH!" He yelped as he was hoisted up in the air by his feet. He hung from a synthetic tree and yelped. "WENDY!"

"Wendy what?" Wendy asked grinning. "You know the magic word." She teased enjoying being in 'teasing big sister' mode.

"W - Wendy -" Terrin whimpered, his voice higher, but not reaching a high pitched squeak like Wiress's did when she would plead with Wendy. "Please?" Terrance squeaked. Wendy grinned and tickled him a bit before unsheathing a knife and cutting him loose from the trap. "OW!" He yelped as he hit the ground. "Hey -" He stared at the knife. "Where did you get that?"

"It's in a survival pack." Terrin nodded.

"Are you going to try those?" he pointed to the throwing knives station. Wendy shrugged.

"I could try. What about you, squirt?" Terrin blushed even more as she ruffled his hair.

"I dunno. I just wanna stay at the survival stations."

"Ok." Wendy went over to the knife station. A tribute from Six had just left. The trainer went through a short lecture about the knives and what they did. Wendy held the knife in her hand and estimated its weight before throwing it nearly into the bullseye. "Wow." She whispered. "Nerdling, I could actually come home to you." She smiled before going back to Terrin.


	21. Chapter 21

Wiress sighed. She collected more gears in her small cart and pushed it down the aisles of Factory Five until she reached her small table near one of the windows. She sat down and began sorting gears into piles organized by degree of damage before making repairs. "Hi, Wiress." She looked up as Max Johnson came over an hour later.

"Hi." Wiress said smiling, but a tear slid down her cheek. "I'm sorry." She stammered. "I - whenever I see you, I think of Terrin and Wendy."

"I know." Max said softly, tears brimming in his eyes as he thought of his little brother. "You've been singing sad songs the last three days." Wiress nodded. "Wendy's strong."

"So is your brother." Max nodded.

"We'll get through this, Wiress." He said. She nodded. "You're doing a really good job on these gears." Wiress nodded her thanks before returning to her work. She finished her shift at lunch and spent the afternoon sitting on the swings in the park thinking about the times she had been there with Wendy and Terrin. As the bells rang in the factories signaling the end of the day, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve and walked home.

"They have their interviews, honey." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling. Wiress nodded.

"I miss Wendy a lot. To the infinity." Wiress said before sobbing as she sat on her mother's lap.

"We all do." Mr. Carpenter said wrapping his arms around both of them. "And I know you both want Wendy to come home."

"I - I - just hope Beetee can bring her home." Wiress said through her tears. She sniffled before wiping her nose with her sleeve. Her mother bit back a comment about using a tissue next time. "I've been telling him that with The Force every day."

"So have we." Mr. Carpenter said gently. "So, shall we see about these interviews?" He flicked on the TV as the Panem National Anthem was playing.

Wiress gasped as Wendy sat down across from Caesar Flickerman. Wendy was wearing a dark purple sleeveless dress that wrapped around and went over one shoulder. "W - Wendy!" Wiress squeaked.

"She looks so beautiful." Mrs. Carpenter whispered.

"That's our Wendy. That's our girl." Mr. Carpenter said, his voice a mix of pride and pain.

"So, Wendy Carpenter, You got a six in training." Caesar said smiling. "Two points away from your mentor who got an eight last year."

"I trained hard for the same reason he did." Wendy said. "So my baby sister Wiress could see me again." She smiled at the camera. "Nerdling, I know you're watching. I love you little sis, and I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Ok." Wiress whispered, her large eyes drinking in Wendy's image on the screen.

"So, Wendy, a few other tributes also have little sisters they would like to return home to see as well. What sets you apart?"

"My little sister can use The Force." Everyone laughed. "And I learned a lot of stuff quickly during training, so I can go in there ready for whatever you all have for me." Wendy said smiling and half-smirking at the Capitol audience. "Finally, I have pretty much the best mentor ever. Beetee, my little Nerdling is counting on you. Work your ingenuity!" The buzzer went off and Wendy smiled and waved before going back to her seat.

"Terrin, you are the youngest tribute this year." Caesar said smiling. Terrin nodded. "And you got a four in training."

"Yeah. I didn't drop anything on my foot." Terrin quipped thinking about the burly kid from Four who dropped a mace on his foot during his private training session. He glanced sidelong at the boy who had an orthopedic boot on his left foot and was looking quite grouchy. The crowd laughed.

"What would you say your strength is, Terrin?"

"I have a goal and I focus on it." Terrin answered smiling, a far away look in his eyes.

"Are you thinking about coming home to a special little someone?" Caesar asked. "Because you can't be too young for love." Terrin blushed as the crowd let out a collective sigh of 'aaaw.'

"My -" Terrin gulped. "My large eyed beautiful friend. Wiress. I love you, Wiress." Terrin said before the buzzer went off.

"And once again, this mysterious little girl is the rallying point once again for District Three tributes." Caesar commented. "Maybe we will see her one day in the Capitol. Who knows, now let's go to the District on the Sea - District Four!"

"Wendy -" Wiress whispered tearing up.

"Wiress, honey, you bring so much hope to Wendy and Terrin." Mrs. Carpenter whispered holding Wiress close. "Never forget that."

"I won't, Mommy. I just want them home."

"Honey, I know." Mr. Carpenter said. "You know what, squirt?" Wiress locked her large eyes onto him. "I know whatever happens, they will do their best." Wiress nodded. "Want to stay with us tonight?" Wiress nodded before he picked her up and carried her down the hallway.

"Daddy?" Wiress asked as she snuggled against her mother. "Could you get Wendy's blanket?" Mrs. Carpenter smiled sadly at her husband.

"Sure." Mr. Carpenter said. He opened the door to the girls' room and looked at Wendy's empty bed. Blinking back tears, he pulled her blanket off and took it into the master bedroom before tucking it around Wiress. He and his wife rubbed the blanket and linked hands over Wiress' sleeping form. As they fell asleep, all three Carpenters wished with all their might that one day, they could hold Wendy in their arms once more.


	22. Chapter 22

Wiress snuggled closer to her parents and wrapped herself tighter in Wendy's blanket. "Good morning, Wiress." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling. Wiress opened her eyes and began crying.

"Oh, honey," Mr. Carpenter whispered. "Wiress, what do you know about today?" He asked jogging her memory of the mantra he told himself every minute, no, every few seconds of the past few days.

"Today - Wendy is going to be strong - no - no matter what." Wiress stammered through her tears. "So will Terrin."

"That's right, honey." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling. The doorbell rang and Mrs. Carpenter went to answer it. Mrs. Jones stood in the hallway, tears streaming down her face. The two mothers sobbed as they held each other knowing their children would be in the arena later that day.

"I found this. Wiress should have it." Mrs. Jones whispered. "It was in Terrin's room." Mrs. Carpenter looked at the small wooden box that had: For Wiress in a child's scrawl etched in the lid.

"Wiress, honey?" Mrs. Carpenter called. "Come here, love. Terrin's mom has something for you." Wiress pattered down the hallway in her pajamas. Her eyes widened as she eyed the box in Mrs. Jones's hands. With trembling hands, Wiress opened the box. She pulled out a piece of notebook paper.

_Wiress, I collected these for you to invent something cool. Like when you grow up and marry Beetee. Or if you grow up and marry me and work for Beetee. Love, Terrin._

Mr. Carpenter read the note aloud. He had come out of the room behind Wiress. "Oh, Wiress, he gave you a lot of cool stuff, sweetie." He said, his voice bright, yet his eyes were sad. Wiress looked at the assortment of wires, small batteries, and what looked like half of a circuit board.

"Oh - Terrin - Terrin -" Wiress whimpered hugging the box close to her chest and sobbing. "I - I want Terrin to come back, but I want my sister to come back too -" Mrs. Jones bent down and wrapped her in a hug. "Thank you - for the box - I'll - I'll save it forever and ever and ever." Wiress choked out between tears.

"Put it in your room, sweetie." Mrs. Jones whispered into her ear. "Who knows," She smiled at Wiress. "When Terrin comes home, you can show him what you made out of all that stuff." Wiress nodded and brushed tears away from her eyes.

"Thank you." Wiress whispered hugging Mrs. Jones again before gingerly walking down the hallway with the box. She kissed it and set it on her desk. "I love you, Terrin. I love you. Please come back." She whispered before coming back out into the living room.

"Our thoughts will be with you." Mr. Carpenter said embracing Mrs. Jones. She nodded her thanks.

"Same to you." She whispered.

Wiress curled up in Wendy's blanket between her parents as the Panem National Anthem played. The Carpenters held hands as the cameras panned around the cornucopia showing the tributes. "Wendy. Terrin." Wiress whimpered. The tributes were in a large meadow surrounded by immense thick red-barked trees.

"That's our little girl. Oh, honey." Mr. Carpenter whispered. Mrs. Carpenter tensed up, trying not to think about her two older sisters in two separate Games so many years ago. They watched Wendy look around her surveying the supplies strewn about the cornucopia. "C'mon, Wendy, baby, you can do it, our smart girl."

"Use The Force, daddy." Wiress whispered.

"I know, my little wire." Mr. Carpenter whispered kissing his youngest child's forehead. Terrin was placed between two bury tributes from Career districts.

"Run, Terrin. Run away." Wiress whimpered.

"Ten... nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three...two...one." Claudius Templesmith counted down before the gong rang. Wendy ran toward the cornucopia and grabbed a backpack before a spear was thrown her way. She dodged it and ran into the surrounding woods. Terrin had run into the woods at the sound of the gong. Wiress screamed and covered her eyes as the tribute pair from District Two seamlessly decapitated the weaker tributes still fighting for the supplies.

"Make it stop - make it stop -" Wiress wailed. Mr. Carpenter wrapped her in his arms and pressed her cheek to his chest as she sobbed.

"Honey, Wendy and Terrin are nowhere near the bloodbath." He whispered. "Honey, they're probably trying to find a place to hide."

"I don't want them to die - I want them to come home - please - Beetee - help them come home - please -" Wiress sobbed over and over until her voice gave out.

Wendy could still hear the terrified screams from the tributes in the bloodbath as she ran further into the forest trying to find Terrin. She had a pack that hopefully had supplies for both of them. "Psst!" Wendy stopped in her tracks startled before being hit over the head with what looked like an acorn. "PSSST!" A mischevious looking face peered down from behind thick branches.

"Terrin!" Wendy hissed. "Shut! Up!" Terrin giggled. "That's _not funny!_"

"You looked funny when I bonked you." Terrin quipped. Wendy saw a vine tied to a branch. She began climbing the immense tree. "What did you get?"

"I don't know. Let me get settled." Terrin spotted a leaf rustling. He peered closer and saw a caterpillar crawling across it. He coaxed it into his hand and giggled softly as its little feet pattered across his palm.

"Terrin! That could be dangerous!"

"It's a caterpillar, Wendy!"

"Yes, but it could be a mutt!" Terrin dropped it onto the floor.

"Nope. I think it was just an ordinary caterpillar." He said. He had a far off look on his face. "I wish I could've seen Wiress' face if I showed that to her." Wendy sighed.

"I know. I want to get home to my Nerdling too." She said leaning against the trunk of the tree before opening the backpack. Terrin sat on the same branch and investigated.

"Hey! We have food!" Terrin said pulling out some crackers. "And water bottles."

"Good." Wendy said. "This is a good start."

"Good start on our road home, huh." Terrin said hopefully. Wendy smiled.

"You got it, squirt." She said ruffling his hair. "Once it's safe, we'll find water, ok?" Terrin nodded. "Your job is to climb up and see if you can see a lake or something, ok?"

"Ok." Terrin said. He began climbing. "Wendy! These trees are infinity tall!" He called down. Wendy laughed before settling onto a branch where she could look around for other tributes. They would just have to take the arena one day at a time knowing that each moment, each step brought them closer to the large-eyed girl waiting for them back home.


	23. Chapter 23

"Wiress, honey, let's go to bed." Mr. Carpenter whispered watching his youngest daughter curled up on the couch, her eyes drooping while watching night fall in the arena.

"Daddy - what - if - Wendy -" Wiress murmured blinking and rubbing her eyes.

"Wendy went to bed already, honey. Your mom will watch for the first part of the night and then I'll watch. You need to go to sleep. We'll come get you if they show Wendy and Terrin again." Mr. Carpenter said. Wiress nodded and allowed her father to carry her to her room.

She lay curled up in Wendy's blanket, images of the Games flashing through her mind. The Careers from Two decapitated or stabbed nearly half the tributes as a record fifteen had died in the bloodbath. _The Games might be short this year._ Wiress thought. The cameras had cut to Terrin and Wendy hiding in one of the many tall Redwood trees. The arena was a large Redwood forest with a meadow for the cornucopia and a river that ran north and south for the water supply. Terrin had been playing with what looked like a worm or caterpillar. Wiress had locked her large eyes onto his face, drinking in the image of him safe in the arena. She cheered Wendy on as she climbed the tree before the cameras had cut to the other nine tributes left.

"Wendy?" A small voice asked.

"What, Nerdling?" Wendy muttered shifting around, wondering why the blankets were so tightly wrapped around her and why the mattress was so hard and uneven.

"Wendy, it's Terrin." Wendy's eyes shot open. Bright light filtered into the leafy canopy of the arena.

"Oh. Hey, squirt." She said sitting up and wincing. Terrin was curled up in his sleeping bag. They had both strapped themselves to the tree during the night. "Ready to find water?"

"Uhhuh." Terrin yawned. He blushed. "Um - Wendy -"

"Yeah?" Wendy asked, concern clouding her face seeing Terrin clearly in a state of discomfort.

"Um - I have to - um - could you - could just turn around?" Terrin stammered looking away bashfully.

"Yeah." Wendy said noticing her district partner shifting uncomfortably in his sleeping bag. She hummed to herself so she wouldn't hear him doing his business.

"Whoa! I've never peed off a tree before in my entire life!" Terrin yelped. Wendy clutched the branch so she wouldn't fall off, she was laughing so hard. "That's kinda cool!"

"And that stream of liquid from the tree was - ah - District Three relieving himself." Claudius Templesmith said before the cameras caught Terrin's outburst. Wiress sat on the couch giggling uncontrollably in unison with her sister before the TV quickly shifted view to the Careers eating breakfast.

"Ew! Mommy - I think - I saw -" Wiress squeaked blushing very darkly. "Terrin's -"

"No you didn't, Wiress." Mrs. Carpenter said quickly. "Of all the things they _do_ show in the arena, they try not to show - certain things."

"How do you know?" Wiress asked, a look of curiosity in her eyes.

"Ask me when you're Wendy's age." Mrs. Carpenter muttered. "No, ask me when you're no longer eligible to be reaped." She would rather eat a rusty circuit board than have _that talk_ with her ten year old daughter.

_I wonder if they ever showed Beetee -_ Wiress blushed even darker and squeaked. She refocused on the Games when she saw Wendy and Terrin jumping to the ground from the lowest branch of their tree. "District Three is on the move. The others have stayed put. Let's see where they are going. Ambitious pair they are."

"You're right, Claudius." Caesar Flickerman said. "Wendy seems like she is a good District partner to little Terrin. Those years of being a big sister certainly have paid off." Wiress smiled.

"I want my big sister home." She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. Mrs. Carpenter put an arm around her. They watched as Wendy and Terrin walked to the river.

"It's down in a canyon!" Terrin said. "Hey, we learned about canyons in geography!"

"That's good." Wendy replied. She winked at Terrin. "Did you and Nerdling learn how to climb down canyons?"

"Um -" Terrin paused. They walked along the length of the canyon. "Look!" He pointed to some steps that were inside the rock. Digging their hands and feet into footholds, he and Wendy began their descent into the canyon.

"I'll go first." Wendy said jumping onto the sandy narrow beach of the river. She looked around cautiously before venturing further toward the river. Terrin followed. He found a stick and poked the water.

"WENDY!" He yelped. "GET BACK!" He gasped as a piranha fish grasped the stick with razor sharp teeth. He and Wendy hurried back to the wall of the canyon panting for breath. They worked quickly and made a bucket out of a canvas sheet and some sticks. Soon their water bottles were filled after some very near misses of piranhas getting into the bucket.

"Terrin - I hear something." Wendy whispered. Terrin gulped. The male tribute from Four broke into a run toward the pair on the beach, fishing pole in one hand and a long spear in another.

"What - what do we do?" Terrin squeaked. "Where's your knife?" Wendy paled at the prospect of using her knife against a living person who appeared to be her age. Suddenly Terrin grabbed the bucket and filled it with fish.

"H - Here -" He stammered holding the bucket up. "Fish."

"Isn't that nice of you to help me before you die!" The fifteen year old Career laughed while smirking. Wendy came behind Terrin and grasped the bucket on a stick with her hands.

"Don't let go." She whispered. "On three." She helped Terrin settle the basket behind his shoulders. "One...two..." The boy aimed his spear a moment before Wendy and Terrin thrust the bucket forward.

"AAAH!" The boy yelped as he was attacked by the pirhanas. He yelped and fell into the water.

"Run!" Wendy yelped. Terrin broke apart the bucket and kept the canvas sheet before they quickly scaled the canyon wall. They heard the boy's intense pain-filled screams echoing through the arena before his cannon fired. Once Wendy and Terrin were safe in a tree, they clung to each other shaking.

"I - I don't want to be here." Terrin whimpered barely above a whisper.

"I know. Me neither." Wendy replied quietly. A tear slid down her face betraying her cheerful confident mask. "Every kid here wants to go home, but only one of us will."

Beetee blinked back tears as he listened in on their conversation. The main broadcast was still focused on the hovercraft pulling pieces of the District Four tribute out of the water. He knew how hard that first kill was on all the tributes except for the Careers. He smiled at the image of Wendy holding a sobbing Terrin close to her as she whispered soothingly into his ear. _The only crime the 24 tributes committed to be sentenced to the arena was to be born in one of the districts of Panem._ He sighed. Wendy and Terrin didn't deserve to die. They deserve to be home safe with their large eyed girl. That thought drove him to do everything he could to bring them home.


	24. Chapter 24

Beetee was awakened at 3am by Mags of District Four. He fumbled for his glasses and ran out into the control room. "FIRE!" Enobria cackled.

"GET OUT OF THE TREE, KIDS!" Beetee screamed staring helplessly at the two small tablet PC s that were showing both Terrin and Wendy waking up frightened. He scrolled through their funding accounts to see what he could buy them if they made it out of the inferno. Wendy was helping Terrin down from the tree. They grabbed their packs and ran. Beetee used one of the tablets to view their progress on a map of the arena. They appeared to be running back toward the river. Wendy pulled Terrin behind a pile of rocks as the fire raged across the arena. They were both choking and gagging on the smoke.

"Wendy - help - please!" Terrin gasped as he wheezed, his face turning blue. Beetee looked at his flashing red vital signs relayed by his tracker.

"Terrin - come on, stay with me." Wendy pleaded cradling the twelve year old's head in her lap. The camera captured the fear on her face.

"You can't send them anything." Seeder said noticing Beetee frantically scrolling through the gifts list. "Not until that fire is out."

"Terrin - Come on," Wendy wet a cloth and put it over his face. "I can't breathe either." She said between coughs. "Stay with me, baby, stay with me." She whispered.

"Mom - Dad - Max - Wiress -" He gasped. "I - love you." He choked out before coughing up white phlegm and going limp in Wendy's arms. Wendy held him against her chest sobbing uncontrollably.

"TERRIN! NO! NOOOO TERRIN! _TERRIN!"_ Wiress screamed as she watched Terrin lay unmoving in Wendy's arms. Mr. Carpenter held his youngest daughter as she wailed into his chest. He had woken her when the fire started in the arena.

"Oh honey - I'm so sorry, Wiress my baby." Mr. Carpenter soothed through his tears. "I'm so sorry, princess." He wondered why the main cameras were on them and realized that Terrin's cannon hadn't fired. The nation was watching to see if this was indeed the end for him.

He's still here, Wendy." Beetee said tears streaming down his face watching Wendy cradle her district partner while wailing in grief.

"Send him something, boy." Seeder prodded gently noticing the smoke in the arena dissipating "Hurry." Beetee's fingers shook as he pressed the button to send Terrin some medicine.

"BEETEE - HELP ME!" Wendy wailed. Suddenly she spotted a silver parachute floating toward her. Gently laying Terrin down, she hurried through the hazy smoke filled arena and grabbed it. She realized it was a syringe filled with medicine for Terrin. "C'mon, Terrin, buddy." She said uncapping the syringe. Her hands trembled as she read the directions before injecting it into Terrin's thigh. "PLease let this work, Beetee, _please!_" She suddenly realized that Wiress would undoubtably be up. "USE THE FORCE, NERDLING! Terrin needs you! I know you can do it, Nerdling!" She pressed her ear to Terrin's chest. Suddenly she had an idea as a small breath tickled her cheek. She looked at Terrin's blue lips before covering them with her mouth and blowing into his lungs. He coughed and she helped him roll over so he could clear his lungs.

"Wendy -" Terrin whimpered. "Wendy - "

"Shh, don't talk. Just rest." Wendy said before wrapping him in a hug. "Don't ever do that again, stinker! Don't _ever_ die on me, you hear?" Wendy asked before kissing his cheek. "Wanna know something cool?"

"What?" Terrin asked hoarsely.

"I think our little Nerdling used The Force to save you." Wendy said winking at any camera that was watching. Terrin's tired face broke into a grin. "She loves you, Terrin."

"She loves you too." Terrin replied before hugging Wendy back.

"He - He saved - him -" Wiress squeaked as tears continued to stream down her face. "Beetee saved Terrin!"

"And you did too. Didn't you use the force like Wendy asked?" Mr. Carpenter asked. Wiress nodded. She sniffled and wiped her nose on her father's bathrobe. "You both saved him."

"Daddy?" Wiress asked, her voice filled with sorrow.

"Yes, princess?" He asked.

"I want Beetee to save _both_ of them. But he can only save one." Mr. Carpenter nodded and held his daughter as she wailed. He had no words of comfort for his daughter because he knew the Games would take one of the two children that she loved.


	25. Chapter 25

Wiress woke up to a cold wash cloth pressed against eyes swollen shut from crying. "Wiress?" Mrs. Carpenter asked looking down at the small quivering form on the bed. "Wiress, honey."

"Mommy -" Wiress whimpered.

"I think you should just stay in here for today. We'll get you if something is happening." Wiress nodded and pulled the blankets over her head.

Meanwhile in the arena, Wendy and Terrin were curled up behind their pile of rocks sleeping through the morning. Wendy was the first to wake up. "Terrin? C'mon, Terrin." She gently coaxed her district partner into a sitting position. He coughed and looked around.

"Wendy -" He whispered in a hoarse voice.

"How are you feeling, squirt?" Wendy asked offering him some water. He drank some water and then lay back down in the grass. "Come on, buddy. I don't think we can hide here any more." She shook him gently again. "Terrin, get up." She said firmly before his eyes fluttered open briefly. He took in a shaky breath and went back into his state of semiconsciousness.

Beetee looked at Terrin's tablet. "What's wrong?" Mags asked coming over to his chair. "Your little boy is sick." She said looking at his vitals on his tablet that would flash red intermittently.

"I know." Beetee said heavily. He scrolled through the available gifts before he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Mags looked at him with sadness in her eyes.

"You need to concentrate on the girl." She said. She pointed to a cloth sling. "Send her that." Beetee nodded. He sent Wendy the sling. "At least she can keep him close until the end." He nodded before turning his head away so she wouldn't see his tears.

Wendy blinked as another parachute dropped. She unwrapped a cloth sling. Holding it up, she was puzzled until she looked at her sleeping district partner. "In you go, squirt." She said heaving him into the sling and putting it on her back. "Ok." She said panting. "Twelve year olds are heavier than I thought." She began walking back toward the forest. Beetee sent her some water just in time for her to find some roots and berries. She checked them over and tried to feed some to Terrin.

Wiress said listlessly in her father's lap watching Wendy carry Terrin across the arena. "Little Terrin hasn't woken much today." Claudius Templesmith said in his commentator role. "Looks like Wendy is trying to get him to eat something - they'd better get moving to miss the Careers." Wiress gasped as the main camera view switched to the Career pack consisting of the tributes from One and Two.

"Final eight coming up, baby!" One of them cheered.

"No. Final seven if we get District Three. Both of them." The girl from Two sneered.

"No - No -" Wiress squeaked watching helplessly as the Careers came over the small hill to face Wendy.

"There you are, Three!" The burly District Two female cackled swinging her axe. Wendy was ready with two survival knives and a weapon knife. She threw the sharpest knife first. Two screamed grabbing her throat causing her to drop the axe on the ground. Wendy picked it up and brought it down on the girl's neck.

"I'm getting your little friend!" One sneered holding up his spear. Wendy drove the axe into his knees and then swung at his district partner, sinking the weapon into her chest. She threw it at the District Two male who screamed as it was embedded in his stomach. Wendy ran from the scene before falling down sobbing and retching in the bushes as a sucession of cannons went off.

"Terrin, are you ok, buddy?" She asked shakily as she unwrapped the sling. Terrin rolled out and lay on the ground unmoving. "Terrin?" she whispered holding him in her arms. Fingers trembling, she felt his chest where his heart barely fluttered beneath his ribs. "Listen, I'll tell your mom, your dad, Max, and Wiress that you love them ok?" She asked. Tears streaming down her face, she kissed his cheeks. "You did some awesome here. Everyone's so proud of you." His cannon fired a second before she held him sobbing. She gently lay him on the ground, closed his eyes, and folded his hands on his chest. To an outsider, he appeared to be a twelve year old boy asleep in a patch of grass. Wendy kissed his forehead one more time before moving back so the hovercraft could pick him up. She climbed a tree until her arms and leg muscles burned. Only when she was settled did she allow herself to cry.

"Honey, use this." Mr. Carpenter said gently handing a sobbing Wiress a handkerchief. He was sitting with her and his wife at their dining room table later that evening.

"Daddy -" Wiress wept.

"Sssh, honey, I know you can do this." He said smiling. Wiress sniffled before wiping her nose with the cloth. "I know it's different than last time." He said gently, "But Wendy will be so proud of you."

"I know, but I wanted Terrin to see too." Wiress cried.

"Well, I can speak first." Mrs. Carpenter said before sighing. The camera crew focused on her first. "I - was shocked when my daughter volunteered. I thought she would only volunteer if Wiress was chosen. But - my Wendy has a big heart. She knew Crystal was one of Wiress' closest friends."

"How do you think she has done so far?" The Capitol reporter asked.

"Fine." Mrs. Carpenter said. "She's our strong smart girl."

"Mr. Carpenter?" The reporter asked.

"Oh, our Wendy has done really well. She - she's a very resourceful young lady." He said smiling.

"She certainly showed us her strength today." The reporter remarked.

"Yes." Mrs. Carpenter said. "She is quite a protective big sister. That's why she was able to fend off those other kids, especially the one that tried to get little Terrin."

"We were proud of her for caring for him this whole time." Mr. Carpenter said.

"Wiress, I remember you from last year's Games where we interviewed you for Beetee Tesla." Wiress nodded. "Aren't you proud of District Three for making this year's Games more exciting?"

"I -" Wiress paused. "I'm glad my sister is doing well - and - she loved Terrin like a big sister -and - and -" Tears streamed down her face. "I just want Beetee to bring Wendy home to me. I will never ever forget Terrin ever because he helped Wendy too." She wiped her eyes before focusing straight at the camera. "Beetee - please - help Wendy come home. That's all we want is for Wendy to come back home."


	26. Chapter 26

_The fire was spreading through the arena. Wendy and Terrin ran before they found their rock outcropping. Wendy held Terrin in her arms as he coughed up blood. "TERRIN! TERRIN!" Wendy cried. A silver parachute floated toward them, but the female tribute from Two ran at them with her axe and stepped on the vial of medicine for Terrin. "NO! THAT WAS FOR TERRIN!" Wendy screamed before the girl cackled. She swung the axe toward Wendy's neck. _

_"WENDY!" _Wiress woke with a start. "WENDY! WENDY!" She was tangled in her sheets and blankets. "WENDY!" She screamed before she rolled off her bed waking with a start on the tile floor. She opened her eyes and began crying. Suddenly relief flooded her. _Wendy was alive!_ She grinned but then her heart constricted with another thought: _Terrin is dead._ She wept for her friend before looking around her room. Turning on the light, she went over to her desk and picked up the wooden box that had: _To Wiress_ written on it.

Hands trembling, she lifted the lid to the box. She took the letter out and put it in the desk drawer as she couldn't bring herself to read Terrin's note again. Instead she looked at the objects in the box. "Wendy, what would you need if you came home?" Wiress asked quietly. Her large eyes searched the room as she thought. They would live in another house - near Beetee's house - and Wendy might even get her own closet. Wiress briefly thought about a lightbulb for Wendy's closet, but those were easy to buy. She thought about Wendy sleeping in a nice comfortable bed, hopefully not having nightmares about the arena like what she had just had. Suddenly Wiress gasped. That was it! She would make a device that Wendy could tap while in bed to turn on the bedroom light hung from the ceiling of their new house in Victor's Village.

Wiress smiled and hummed to herself. She hadn't felt joy from developing an idea for quite a while. In fact, she realized that she hadn't felt much of anything except near paralyzing fear while her sister was in the arena. "Oh, Wendy!" She sang. "I'm making a nighty lighty switchy thingie for my Wendy!" She began drawing a schematic of a typical circuit of a household light and light switch. "A little nighty lighty for you!"

Wiress took a break to watch the sun come up. The door opened to her room. "Wiress, honey, how long have you been up?" Mrs. Carpenter asked looking at the dark circles under her young daughter's eyes.

"I dunno." Wiress said. She beamed. "Look! It's a nighty lighty switchy thingie!" she showed her mother what she had drawn and built so far.

"Well, that's a good idea, my little wire." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling. Seeing the spark of happiness mixed with ingenuity return to her little daughter made her smile. "Who is it for?"

"Wendy!" Wiress said excitedly. "For when she comes home!"

"I think she'll like that." Mr. Carpenter said at the door. "Well, ladies, the Games are about to start once more. It's just down to Wendy, a boy from District Seven, and a girl from District Ten." Wiress nodded. She gulped as the familiar fear returned and took her mother's hand as they walked out to the living room.

"Our final three tributes have been called to a feast." Caesar Flickerman narrated as the cameras showed the cornucopia. "We shall see who will be the victor of the Forty Seventh Hunger Games!" As if on cue, Wendy, the boy from District Seven, and the girl from District Ten ran out to the field surrounding the cornucopia. Wiress gasped and gripped her parents' hands in a white knuckled grip.

"Oh, Wendy, come on, honey. Please come home, baby." Mrs. Carpenter whispered.

"You're our strong girl, Wendy." Mr. Carpenter whispered. Wiress drew in a shaky breath.

"Wendy -" She squeaked before Wendy pulled a knife from its sheath around her belt and held her axe at the ready.

"I think my bet is on Wendy. She took out the Career path surprisingly! Caesar, we just might see District Three clinch the Victor's crown two years in a row!"

"Connie from District Ten makes the first move - there she goes toward the cornucopia!" Three bags near the mouth were clearly labeled with the district number for each tribute. "OH! And she's down!" District Seven had thrown what looked like a short spear or a knife made purely from wood. The girl from Ten fell to her knees and pulled the pointed wooden weapon out of her side before stumbling to her pack. She opened it and found a rope. She tried fashioning it into what looked like a noose. "She is making a lasso - a common livestock catching device used there. District Three hasn't moved at all."

"C'mon, Wendy!" Wiress whimpered, biting on her fingers.

"Blight from District Seven has another one of those wooden things aimed at Connie - oh, this could be bad for her. She must hurry with that lasso!" Blight ran toward her and grabbed his pack. While he was rummaging through it, Wendy ran toward the cornucopia and grabbed her pack. Blight found a sharpened axe that looked less heavy but more deadly than the one Wendy had. In one motion, he threw it at the girl from Ten killing her instantly.

"RUN! WENDY! RUN!" Wiress screamed as Wendy ran from the meadow.

"Wendy takes off running, can you believe it, she hasn't even opened her pack yet!" Claudius gasped. "And there goes Blight after her - I do hope she realizes that he is from District Seven, so climbing up a tree will not stop him!"

"I - I - can't - not - watch -" Wiress stammered trembling uncontrollably. The cameras zoomed in on Wendy who finally opened her pack. She gasped as she pulled out a square box. The front of the box was a picture of Wiress that was taken during her interview during Beetee's Games.

"Oh - my Wiress -" Wendy whispered touching the picture. The lid retracted to reveal an array of throwing knives on a belt. Wendy secured them and saw another smaller picture of her sister. She kissed it before tucking it carefully in a small pouch already on her belt. "I'm coming soon, Nerdling. I'm coming." She pulled out a knife as Blight began his ascent up the tree. "Ok, buddy. I have a bunch of knives up here!" she called. "You sure you want to do this?"

"I want to go home." Blight said quietly looking around the arena. "To my cabin. My forest." He gulped. "I promised Oak I would build him a tree house. Pa would've helped him but - last year at the mill -" He gulped. He grasped his axe. "It can't be both of us." Wendy sighed.

"I got a little Nerdling back home." She said smiling. "I understand, I really do." she sighed and his look of sorrow and desperation made her blink back tears. "Look, they both want us to try and get home. So lets just try." Suddenly the axe Blight was holding flew at the center of her forehead. Wendy jumped and felt a searing pain on her left hand. She wrapped her jacket around it quickly, not wanting to examine the wound.

"OH! District Three lost her fourth and fifth digits off her left hand!" Ceaser yelped. "That is a close shave indeed!" Wendy threw a knife Blight's way, but he blocked it before climbing around the tree with his handful of wooden weapons.

Wendy gasped as her left hand throbbed with pain. She grabbed another knife and aimed for Blight. She grasped the tree with her left arm and drew her right arm back before she narrowly dodged Blight's wooden weapons. She moved her feet into a better stance on the branch. As she set her right foot down, the branch she assumed was study cracked causing the whole limb to detach from the tree.

"WENDY!" Blight screamed scrambling toward her.

"NOO!" Wendy screamed. She grasped for the tree with her hands. Blight made it and grasped onto her left wrist.

"Try and get a foothold on the bark!" Blight commanded.

"I - I - can't - I'm -" Wendy stammered.

"Just - try!" Blight urged. "Look for the deepest grooves!" He wobbled on his branch. The blood running from Wendy's left hand was soaking her wrist. "I - I don't know how long I can hold you!"

"I - I didn't expect you to help." Wendy panted. She grabbed a foothold just as Blight began slipping from his branch. He caught himself with his feet and held on with his left hand while his right was still grasping Wendy's.

"It's - It's what I would do if we were back home." Blight whispered. Suddenly a bird swooped down and hissed at Blight and Wendy causing Blight to scream and block his face. When he looked up, Wendy was holding onto the stump of the branch with her right hand while her left hand left a slippery trail of blood on the bark. "NO! NOO!" Blight screamed.

"Mom, Dad, Wiress, I love you all." Wendy said quietly, knowing she was slipping from the tree. She dug her feet and hands into the bark and lunged for Blight's outstretched hand that was being violently pecked at by the mutt bird.

As if in slow motion, Wendy fell from the tree head first. Her wrists bent in an unnatural angle as she stretched out her hands to catch herself. A second later, her head hit the ground as her cannon fired. The cameras shifted from Wendy's spread-eagle form to Blight in his tree looking stunned staring at the girl he tried to help come home. A trumpet announced the end of the Games. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you Blight Woods from District Seven as the Victor of the Forty Seventh Hunger Games!"

"Wendy -" Wiress whispered. A part of her knew she was on the couch listening to her parents sob in grief and another part of her replayed the last ten minutes of the Games over and over in her head. "Oh - Wendy -" Wiress said quietly as the screen flashed to a lanky sixteen year old's picture. Why they were talking about this boy, she didn't know. All she knew was that one moment she was watching her sister in the arena, and the next moment, her parents were screaming that she was gone.


	27. Chapter 27

"Wendy? Wendy?" Wiress asked before sliding off the couch. She sat down closer to the TV. "Wendy?" She asked. A man in a colorful suit was talking about the recap of the Games. "What about Wendy? Can you go back?" She asked. The TV went dark. "Daddy?" Wiress asked as her father dropped the remote control he was holding before pulling his wife into an embrace as they both sobbed. "Daddy?"

"Honey -" Mr. Carpenter began. "Oh - Honey - Wendy - We lost her, Wiress baby - We lost our Wendy - Our little girl - Wendy -" Wiress ran to her room and pushed hers and Wendy's beds together. She curled up with Wendy's blanket and began shaking. She knew Wendy had been in a tree and a bird had swooped down on the boy who was helping her. Everything else was a blur.

"Wendy." Wiress said again. She sat up. "Wendy - are you ok? Please - Please - don't be dead." She whimpered. Closing her eyes, she used The Force to try and contact Wendy somewhere in the Redwood Tree Arena. However, something told her that Wendy was gone. "WENDY!" She ran out into the living room. "MOMMY! DADDY! WENDY'S GONE - WENDY'S GONE!" She wailed before two shaking sets of hands picked her up. The Carpenters spent the rest of the day crying and mourning for their spunky wisecracking clever girl who would never return.

Wiress stood with her parents dressed in a simple black dress. Her mother was in a similar black dress and her father was in a black shirt and dress pants. They placed their left hands on the simple wooden box resting on a small platform. The Carpenters raised their right hands palms facing outward, fingers up and in a V at the ring and middle fingers in the district sign. They looked over at the Jones family who was doing the same thing around a smaller wooden box. Max looked over to Wendy's coffin, tears streaming down his face mingling with the light rain falling from a grey cold sky. "We are gathered here to mourn two lives cut short by revenge for our past." He said, his voice shaking. "Wendy Carpenter and Terrin Jones fought bravely and brought pride to their district. More importantly, while they were with us, they brought smiles and laughter as they shared their young lives with those around them."

Wiress let her tears flow freely. She thought about all the times she would snuggle with Wendy or how they would chase each other through their small apartment. She smiled remembering Wendy calling her Nerdling or making her change into something more fashionable. She would always remember her sister no matter what.

The mayor finished his speech and paused so the families could say their final goodbyes. "Wendy," Wiress began. "I'll always be your Nerdling. I love you." She kissed the wooden box imagining all the times she had kissed Wendy on the cheek before stepping back with her parents.

"Wiress, honey," Mrs. Jones beckoned her over. "Terrin always talked about you."

"Go on, honey." Mr. Carpenter whispered to Wiress. Wiress took Mrs. Jones' hand.

"Terrin -" Wiress began. She touched the small box. "Oh, Terrin, Thank you for being my friend and for helping Wendy and for liking me and - I love you." Wiress whispered. She smiled at Max who walked over to Wendy's box and said a few words. He lay a home made pin of a flower made of metal on top. "She would say that's pretty." Wiress whispered to Max. He gave her a sad smile. Wiress hugged Mrs. Jones before rejoining her parents. The two families wept as one as their children were lowered into the ground.

A month later, Wiress was sitting on the bench near the playground thinking about the first parcel day when she, Wendy, Terrin, and Max were all at the playground together. She had the little light controller in a box similar to the one Terrin had given her. Swinging her legs, she sighed hoping that the person who usually passed the playground would notice her presence.

Beetee saw the playground come into view as he walked home from his inventing shed. He thought about the summer spent with the Carpenters after his Games. Tears came to his eyes. He had seen Wiress at the funeral and given her a hug. She had thanked him, but he wondered if she was upset. Wendy was her world, and now her little world was certainly crushed. He paused watching the eleven year old girl sitting on the bench swinging her legs. She paused and wiped her eyes before swinging her legs again. Beetee sighed. He usually kept on walking, but he decided to at least say hi.

"Hey there, Wiress." Beetee said gently as large eyes locked onto his face.

"Hi." Wiress whispered. She smiled even though her eyes reflected sadness beyond her years.

"What were you thinking about?" Beetee asked siting next to her. Unlike last year, Wiress' toes touched the ground when she sat on the bench.

"Terrin and Wendy." Wiress replied. "Beetee, remember when you played with us?" Beetee chuckled. "That was fun." Wiress continued grinning.

"It was." He agreed.

"Wendy teased me for a long time. Like a really long time." Wiress smiled and blinked back a tear that trickled down the side of her face. Beetee reached out and wiped the tear away with his fingers.

"I wish I could've brought them both home for you." He whispered.

"I know." Wiress replied. She looked down at her box. "This was supposed to be Wendy's." She opened it. Beetee saw a coil of wire with an attachment on one end and a lever on the other. "You put the lever by your bed and connect the other end to your bedroom light." Beetee raised his eyebrows. "So if you have a nightmare, you can reach your light from your bed."

"You made this for Wendy?" Wiress nodded. "Why don't you have it in your room?" Wiress paused.

"I was - I thought you could use it more." Wiress began hesitantly. "I - I _think_ Terrin and Wendy used The Force to tell me - you needed it." Wiress paused and smiled. "You needed to know I'm not mad, and they're ok." Beetee wrapped his hand around Wiress' smaller hand. They sat on the bench swinging their legs deep in thought.

"Thank you." Beetee said after a moment. "Wiress, Thank you so much." He smiled at the girl who's large eyes reflected wisdom beyond her years. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze in return. "We'll figure out how to keep their memory alive. Together."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! The sequel "Large Eyes Terrified" is now up!


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